Path of the Spear
by mau'indi
Summary: In the sequel to Son of the Spear, Gabriel must overcome new adversaries, terrifying creatures and the darkness of his own hearts in order to survive the harsh life of an unblooded warrior. Part II of The Spear Trilogy
1. Till His Dying Breath

**Author's Note**

Hello! This is the second part of The Spear Trilogy and the sequel to Son of the Spear. If you haven't read the first part, you can check it out at my profile by clicking on my name. My profile will also feature some background information about this particular group of yautja's culture, new character bios and a complete pronunciation guide.

I plan to post one chapter every Tuesday for the next 12 weeks (all chapters are written and complete so you don't have to worry about me burning out or getting writer's block). The best way to know exactly when they are posted is to select "Follow Author/Story" after you leave a glowing review praising my superlative skill at manipulating prose and pathos.

*cough* Anyway! Thank you for reading. Let me know what you liked, what you didn't like and things that confuzzled you. (Yes, confuzzled, it's a new word. Learn it. Love it.)

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**Shaikal**

**Ekanu Shangar Ikunde** - _eh-KAH-nuu SHAHN-gahr ih-KUUN-dei_ - The Great Spear that is Thrown Swift and Perfect

**Khaigra Raknar Urgath** - _KAI-grah RAAK-nar UR-gaath_ - The Fiery Wrath that Burnt the Sun

**Taitarrok Cegorrak Nyrante** - _tai-TARR-ock SEH-gorr-ack nai-RAHN-tei_ - The Righteous Sacrifice that Obeys

**Arrakai**

**H'darak Ichande** - _hih-DAR-ack ih-SHAHN-dei -_ Fearless Shadow

**Isskela Sjeikende** - _ih-SSKEI-lah sjei-KEN-dei_ - Lucky Fist of the Gods

**Taun'gra**

**arrakai** - _ARR-ah-kai_ - arbiter, judge

**ashaila** - _ah-SHAI-lah_ - princess, lit. "of the ruler"

**h'ko** - _hih-KOH_ - no

**h'seiya** - _hih-SEI-yah_ - brother

**korvakra** - _kor-VAAK-rah_ - bad blood, lit. "tainted, dark one"

**rashai** - _rah-SHAI_ - eldress, matriarch, queen lit. "the first ruler"

**saa** - _SAA_ - yes

**shaikal** - _SHAI-kahl_ - elder, lit. "second ruler", sometimes translated as "male ruler"

**threiyan** - _THREI-yen_ - unblooded, lit. "not blooded"

* * *

**Till His Dying Breath**

* * *

Ichande clasped his hands behind his waist and waited for the council's decision. He'd told them everything about his hunt on the moon in the small, backwater system. Including about the boy. And since he'd spared him, their fates were now intertwined. The judgment made today would determine whether they lived or died, and set precedent for the other arbiters of the tribe to heed. Several of his brother judges had appeared at the beginning of the session, crimson shadows watching from the upper balconies. They would not hesitate to kill him if the elders ordered it. Such was the way of things. He accepted it. He had chosen this path and now he would to see it through to the end.

Unsurprisingly, many of the councilors thought the boy should die. It was simply a matter of how.

Ichande kept his eyes straight, avoiding Shaikal Taitarrok's piercing glare. As the keeper of traditions and high priest to the gods, he did not welcome the chaos Ichande brought to his doorstep. He argued the boy should be executed immediately.

Shaikal Khaigra, high general and Taitarrok's constant torment, argued that the boy should be given a chance to prove himself in a battle of honor and at least die a warrior's death.

And then there was Shaikal Shangar.

Ichande caught glimpses of the high councilor across the orange-lit hall from the corners of his yellow eyes. Age had done little sap the strength of the elder. He was the pillar of balance between the pugnacious general and cautious priest, a guiding force that had preserved and strengthened their tribe for a nearly a century.

He had yet to say a single word.

At the moment, Taitarrok had the floor. "The youth is tainted. He has been raised to be cowardly, fearful and weak. He learned their ways, followed their gods. He is animal herder, no better than a slave. He has no place amongst our warriors. All he will bring is shame!"

"Phah!" snarled Khaigra stepping into the inner circle. "You doubt the strength of our tribe and insult the honor of the Thunder Fists clan. The arrakai has judged him to be sound of body and mind. Let him fight and prove his worth!"

A rumble of approval followed the councilor's words. The room was slowly dividing as the other elders chose sides. The split was nearly even, with Ichande at the center of it all. The eye of the storm.

"And what of the actions of his sire? Are we to spare the son of a korvakra?!"

The question drew hisses of righteous indignation from Taitarrok's supporters and growls of protest from the Thunder Fists, who were of course backing Khaigra. The shouting swelled, the two sides drawing dangerously close to each other. Ichande stiffened, straining against instinct to snarl and lash out as the bitter scent of anger washed over him.

The general's eyes narrowed, his upper fangs twitching in anger as the two elders stood toe-to-toe and for a moment Ichande thought the general was going to shove the priest. A low growl simmered in the elder's stomach. "What reason can you give to deny the Thunder Fists their right to judge him?"

"The Fire Spitters demand retribution for the loss of the high matriarch's heir. His blood is the price to settle the debt the Thunder Fists owe."

Khaigra scoffed. "Tuchonde is dead and Nayadhi's killer sent to Cetanu. The blood price has been paid. Killing the boy only insults the ashaila's sacrifice."

A rumble swelled through Taitarrok's supporters, the elder Fire Spitters clicking quietly as they debated the general's words. The boy was all that remained of the heiress. It wasn't much, but at least her line had been preserved through him. Did they dare sever it out of pride?

Taitarrok scowled, the metal bells and symbols woven into his intricate grey braids jangling with each irritated step as he paced around the room.

Ichande slowly released the breath he'd been holding, the two sides slowly receding to the edges of the circle, leaving the high elders to continue the debate.

"Your words… have merit, Urgath. But we are at an impasse." Taitarrok made a sweeping gesture at the elders surrounding them to emphasize his point. The room was divided evenly. All eyes turned to the only one who had yet to cast his vote.

Shaikal Shangar stood at the head of the room, hands clasped behind his back, his glittering red eyes inscrutable as he returned their expectant stares. Only Khaigra and Taitarrok dared approach him.

Khaigra bowed his head slightly. "Shaikal, we ask that you pass the tribe's judgement upon the arrakai and the youth."

A barely discernable nod answered his request. With the ease of a serpent gliding over the water, the elder made his way until he was barely an arm's length away from Ichande. Their eyes locked, neither moving as they measured the other's resolve, scenting each other for signs of weakness.

Shangar's deep, guttural voice echoed in his ears. "Is the boy strong?"

Ichande quickly masked his surprise at the ritual greeting, letting the correct response flow from memory. "Saa, he is strong and fierce."

"Is he ready?"

"Saa, his time has come." The arbiter could hear shocked rasps issue from both sides.

Shangar ignored them, his crimson irises boring into the arbiter's bright yellows. "Will he honor the tribe?"

"Till his dying breath."

The briefest hint of a smile ghosted the elder's mandibles at the final phrase. "Very well." He slowly turned to face his fellow elders, his voice growing stronger, his deep growls edged with a grim authority that dared those listening to ignore. "The boy will be tested. He will endure the trials that every warrior must face before the tribe accepts them. If he survives, he will redeem his sire's name by repairing the bond between the Thunder Fists and Fire Spitters. If he does not… then his tainted blood will be removed from our race forever."

The room fell silent, the seconds slowly ticking by. When none came forward to challenge the high elder, Taitarrok dismissed them.

Shangar waited until everyone had left, Ichande noting that the upper balconies were empty, his brothers having slipped silently back into the shadows. He let himself relax, crossing his arms and rolling his neck as he waited to receive the particulars.

"Not what you expected, Arrakai Icharak?" The elder traded his scarlet cloak for a goblet of q'nala offered by a masked slave of indeterminate sex. It disappeared behind a cloth door, the lack of any identifying odors always unnerving to Ichande. His family had never made use of slaves, preferring to burn the rare infant that was malformed in the temples rather than endure the shame of their presence.

"It was a gamble. I had to trust that you would come to the right decision."

Shangar grunted. Whether it was in humor or disbelief the arbiter could not tell. "You risked much bringing that boy here. The wounds of Tuchonde's reckless actions might have healed in another generation or two."

"Or they might have grown worse. My brothers have overseen a dozen duels within the past season between the two clans and all but one ended in the death of one or both parties," said Ichande as he accepted the drink from the elder. "But it sounds like you have a plan to rectify everything once and for all."

"H'ko, it is not my plan. Were it up to me, I would've ordered you to kill the boy and given you some impossible, yet glorious task to complete. It was the matriarchs' idea that he attempt the trials."

Ichande paused mid-sip, his eyes widening in surprise. Of course. The shaikal's unexpected pronouncement suddenly made sense. Only a female would think to preserve blood rather than spill it. He finished his sip and handed the drink back to the elder. "What will they do with the boy if he survives?"

Shangar shook his head, swirling the maroon drink in his hand. "I cannot say. They did not include me in the blood arrangements. When I walked in, it seemed as if the matter remained unresolved. It may depend on how well he performs. If he survives."

"Understood." Ichande bowed his head. "I will prepare the boy and bring him to his sanja—"

"Ul'juska Athende."

"Ul'juska? But he's…"

"I know. That's why I chose him."

"Very well." Ichande bowed again and left.

The arbiter descended into the lower level of the pyramid, stopping short when a familiar smell filled his mouth. He rumbled, glancing around at the numerous pillars.

"Behind you."

He turned, Sjeikende sliding from behind an ornate pillar. "Has the elder's mercy made you careless, Ichande?"

"Not at all. I just didn't think it worth taking the time to acknowledge you."

"How rude."

Ichande beckoned his fellow arbiter to follow, the pair retreating to a terrace outside. The first sun had begun to set, the shadow of the serrated pyramid swallowing the courtyard below in a cool silence. Sjeikende leaned against the railing, his earlier levity replaced with a grim tension. "You should've let the boy die."

Ichande folded his arms, watching ships skim across the orange-red sky. "Perhaps."

Sjeikende straightened and faced him, his silver eyes glinting in anger. "Then why, h'seiya? Why spare him?"

"I was curious."

"Curious? You're telling me you spared a lesser being because you were 'curious?'"

"There is nothing in the code that goes against my actions—"

"Everything in the code goes against your actions! You interfered. You've dishonored the boy by saving him. Twice. Lesser beings have looked upon him and left unjudged. This is sacrilege. You know this!"

"Keep your voice down. The code allows for exceptions. How is one of our own raised by another race not an exception?"

Sjeikende snarled and began to pace.

"I have tested the boy, Sjeika. He is strange, but he is strong. And willing to learn."

His friend paused, sighing and rubbing a hand over his scalp.

"What?"

Sjeikende chuckled softly. "I really expected you to die up there."

Ichande glanced up at the top of the pyramid, the council chambers crowning the flat-topped roof of the massive ziggurat. _So did I_, he thought. Not that he'd ever admit it.

The other arbiter sighed again. "Fine. It doesn't matter what I think. The boy will take the trials. Does he even have a chance? Or is he as weak-willed as those mewling soft skins?"

Ichande grunted and clapped his friend on the shoulder. "Come see for yourself."

**~\'/~**

The arbiters stood at the base of the ramp leading from the ship, Ichande trembling with rage. Sjeikende stood a few paces away, letting his friend simmer.

"I'm going to kill him," choked Ichande, his claws flexing with each snarled breath.

"He can't have gotten far."

Ichande whirled and marched down the dock, Sjeikende sighing and following after. He watched his friend interrogate the one-eyed dock master for a moment, then scanned the dock workers scurrying about. An elder yautja caught his eye, the mechanic casting furtive glances at Ichande and him before limping away. "H'seiya…"

Ichande continued his growling and Sjeikende cleared his throat. "Arrakai H'darak."

The dock master looked incredibly relieved when Ichande finally dismissed him and he immediately began barking orders at his subordinates to see to the arbiter's ship.

"What?" snapped Ichande.

Sjeikende nodded his head in the direction he'd seen the elder disappear. "Follow me."

The access port led outside to a scrapyard, an elder crouched next to a hovercycle and muttering to himself as he tweaked the engine. He froze as two long shadows fell over him, his eyes glued to the metallic hull of the vehicle.

"What is this, Isskela?"

"I think this mechanic knows something about your ship and your passenger. Isn't that right?" Sjeikende growled, his last words tinged with a warning.

The elder male swallowed, his laser tool clenched tightly in his fluid-stained hand.

Ichande stepped forward until he towered over the cringing elder. "Look at me," he growled.

The mechanic glanced up at him hesitantly, his baggy eyes and drooping brows scrunched in fear.

"Tell me, old one, why were trying to hide from Death's servants?" Ichande's dual blades dropped from his wrist.

At the sight of them, the elder fell to his knees, prostrating himself before the two arbiters. "If Death has come for me, tell me my sin and then judge me swiftly."

The two arbiters glanced at each other, Sjeikende motioning for him to stay his hand. With a twist of his arm, the wristblades snapped back into their holster. "The Dark God will not meet with you today. Raise your head so that I may see your face and see whether you speak the truth."

The old yautja stiffly pushed himself up.

"Why did you run?" rumbled Sjeikende.

"I was afraid it had something to do with the young arrakai that visited me today."

"Young arrakai?"

"Saa. He was a strange one and seemed lost. But he paid me well so I did not question it."

Ichande silently simmered as he processed the information. The boy didn't have money. Which meant he'd stolen _his_ money.

"Where did he go?"

"Into the city, but that was hours ago." The elder reached into one of the pouches tied to his belt and pulled out a glittering skull. He proffered it to the arbiter, the suns' fading rays sparkling across its polished surface. "Take it. Whatever the youth has done, I want no part of it."

"Death cannot be bribed, old one," Ichande growled as he turned away, Sjeikende following after.

"So, where do we start?"

"The central station. We do this ourselves. I don't want anyone else to find out about this—"

Both of their wrist computers squawked, flashing red as a message scrolled across their screens. Ichande pulled up the hologram, dread clenching his forearm as he quickly scanned the broadcast.

"What kind of moron shoots plasma cannons in the heart of the city?" rumbled Sjeikende as he read a similar announcement.

Ichande breathed a sigh of relief at the notification. Gev'riel wasn't involved. Thank the gods—

His wristcomputer squawked again as another message appeared, this one only for his eyes. He read the message once. Then a second time, unwilling to believe his eyes.

_I'm going to _kill_ him._


	2. Dhazar'yin

**Author's Note**

A cool feature I just noticed are the display options located in the middle of the horizontal line above. Pressing the A+/- increases or decreases the font size, A lets you change the font itself (I prefer Georgia) and select a background color, the four parallel lines allow you to adjust the story width to Full, 3/4 or 1/2 ( I like 1/2 because it feels more like the pages of a book), the T lets you increase or decrease spacing between lines, and the half-moon lets you change the background to black and the text white. I can't believe I didn't notice these options before. They have definitely improved my reading experience on this site. I only wish the admins would allow authors to set the story they way they would like it to look while leaving people the option to change it if they wanted.

Anyway, have fun tweaking the format!

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**Pronunciation Guide**

**Korvakra**

**Nakande** - _nah-KAHN-dei_ - first (blood)

**Zaru** - _ZAH-ruu_ - swift

**N'jelok**

**Gujarra** - _guu-JAH-rah_ - metal weaver

**Taun'gra**

**c'jit** - _kih-JIT_ - shit

**Dhazar'yin** - _daa-zar-YIN_ - Black Fang

**n'jelok** - _nih-JEH-lok_ - mechanic

**sanja** - _SAHN-jah_ - teacher or master

**sekfet** - _SEHK-feht_ - bastard

* * *

**Dhazar'yin**

* * *

Red glyphs scrolled down to this left until all of the master or "root" symbols were laid out, the hundreds of modifiers or "branches" appearing on his right. His species' language contained more symbols than he could count, each carrying a specific meaning depending on what tone you used. Some were missing from the database and when he probed H'darak for an answer he'd only grunted, 'Usora.' Sacred. The A.I. had given him the same response.

As if summoned by Gabriel's thoughts, the language program's avatar, a stern elder with long tendrils, crackled into existence at the center of the table. "Welcome, threiyan," growled the holo-teacher, his hands enfolded within his flowing robes.

"Greetings, honorable sanja," intoned Gabriel, ritual salutation rolling from the back of his throat with ease. It was one of the few things he could say without an accent or stutter of hesitation. The words didn't hurt his throat, but his tongue felt as clumsy as ever. He was making sounds he'd never made before, his secondary vocal cords stiff with disuse. There were tones he had trouble picking up on, sounds no human had ever made or would be able to without the aid of technology.

Gabriel tuned out the A.I.'s pre-programmed lecture. He'd heard most of it before. When prompted, he tapped the correct word combinations into the metal rim of the table, navigating the strange runes and layout as he'd been taught.

H'darak did not have the patience to teach him the 'true words' as he would say. A few days after Gabriel had first set foot on board, his teacher had pointed at the holo-table and grunted, 'Ggorók.' Learn. So he'd learned. Albeit slowly, much to the consternation of both his teachers.

English was forbidden. In fact, anything related to his past life, other than the weapons he'd brought, had been burned. H'darak had then shoved him into a cramped shower, tossed him a glass bottle of something foul smelling, rattled off a few words and shoved a breech cloth into his hand. He'd then left Gabriel standing there, naked and confused. As soon as the door had clicked shut, the shower head embedded into the ceiling had hissed to life, spraying him with scalding water and completely soaking his 'clothes'. Burnt, wet and reeking of vinegar, Gabriel had wandered the ship until H'darak had ordered him into small medical lab, where he'd proceeded to inject Gabriel with a dozen needles that had left him feverish and exhausted. And that was the extent of his teacher's hospitality.

He shifted, adjusting his loincloth and codpiece in a vain attempt to get comfortable on the flat-topped metal cylinder that passed for a chair. He'd lived on a ranch. He was used to sleeping on the ground or working in extreme temperatures. But this was a whole new level of spartan. Everything had an edge. And soft? Forget it. The beds were basically raised slabs of metal covered in rough leather. Fortunately, H'darak beat him enough during trainings to where he could usually pass out as soon as his head hit the coarse fabric.

And when he wasn't training, his mentor expected him to be in what Gabriel called the 'war room.' It was more like a common area, the central core accessible from all parts of the ship. But the atmosphere was too sinister for him to consider it a place to relax. Porous black metal pulsed with emberlight, the ribbed walls rising from the floor to form clenched fangs that spiraled from the center of the ceiling. Beneath the ominous chandelier sat the holo-table, more sacrificial altar than computer. The device rested inside a square slab of metal, a serpentine creature wrapping it's segmented body around its jagged, obsidian frame.

"Raiya leyinje de jok?" growled his sanja.

Gabriel absently traced the webbed contours of the table's edge, one hand propping up his chin. "Sura na h'nadi se Cetanu iskerra nayal."

"Sura de jok?"

"Tekurrok ya k'var."

"H'chak'ne kiyandu na…"

He tuned out the endless onslaught of questions, thinking back over the past several hours. H'darak had not been himself when he'd left the ship. The filters had sucked away any trace of the bitter smell, but the uneasy feeling twisting Gabriel's insides had remained. Something was wrong.

Gabriel rose and swiped his claw across the table's rim, silencing the A.I.'s irritated growl at being interrupted. He made his way to the command deck and tried to locate the arbiter's beacon. The control panel flashed red. What? Even if a hunt was too dangerous and Gabriel was stuck on the ship, he could always track his mentor and monitor the skies for enemies. Gabriel tapped the override keys. More flashing red lights.

_Dammit._ He slumped in his chair, spinning back and forth as he tried to think of a way to override the controls.

The blast shields caught his eye and he paused. Windows were a structural weakness and were a last resort if the sensors failed and they were flying blind. Gabriel fiddled with the master control built into the armrest and after several frustrated attempts the metal shields split in two, slowly peeling back.

Gabriel's eye widened. There wasn't much light, but there was enough. The gleaming hulls of a hundred ships lit up the gloom, row upon row soaring above him. Some were larger, others much smaller, but they all possessed the same sleek build as the arbiter's ship.

Shaking, Gabriel sat down, his hearts thundering inside his chest. Now it all made sense. All the months of training, language lessons and bounty hunting had meant something. H'darak had been preparing him for something bigger after all.

He eyed the emergency wrist comm embedded into the control panel. He'd been forbidden from ever touching it. And for good reason. The device was more than just a comm. It was a universal remote and he'd watched his guardian enough to know what it could do.

He snatched it up before he gave himself a chance to think about it too much. Gathering his armor, bow and sword, he raced back to command chair, activating the ship with a swipe of his claws. Just as he'd hoped, the station was automated. Sensing his ship powering on, a mechanized arm with pincer-like tongs retrieved the ship from its berth and carried it to the surface. As the vessel ascended the world became brighter and brighter, until the window bled crimson. Once the ship was secured, the arm retracted and Gabriel ran for the exit ramp. He'd been stuck on this ship for ages, H'darak only allowing him off under strict supervision and only to either hunt for food or kill korvakra. The alien worlds had been breathtaking. Wild landscapes of desert, icy tundra and exotic jungles. But this was his world. Here he wouldn't be hunting down the criminals of his race. He'd be one of them, home at last.

Gabriel slipped out the door before it had barely even opened.

He blinked, blinded by the harsh light burning around him. For the first time he felt his true weight, his muscles actually straining as they adjusted to the world's heavy gravity. All around him bustled dockworkers, drones, ships and complex machinery, the likes of which Gabriel had never seen or even imagined.

The greasy stench of the dock hub was magnified by the hellish heat radiating from the three suns high overhead, the air shimmering crimson. Warp engines burned like bright stars as massive ships plowed across the blood-orange sky, their thundering growls echoing across the sprawling city in the valley below. Metal groaned and thrusters keened as ships docked and departed, continuously dropping off or ferrying cargo and passengers. Beneath the organized cacophony was a hum. Clusters of drones swarmed cargo holds and ship hulls, their hive-mind controlled by hovering meta-drones. The giant, cyclopean orbs floated throughout the multi-level structure, their electric hums shivering across Gabriel's skin whenever they redirected their legion of droids.

Like smoke, the dock workers passed around Gabriel, none daring to lift their eyes to meet his or even glance in his direction. Goggled eyes, masked faces and padded, leather jumpsuits smothered their natural scents, making them as homogenous as the drones they snarled at. They were at least a head shorter than Gabriel, if not more, the height difference exacerbated by an awkward hunch they all unconsciously shared.

Controlling the chaos at the pinnacle of the hierarchy was the dockmaster, a short, brawny male missing an eye. He barked orders from a floating, maneuverable control station, five control pods clinging to its frame, each holding one yautja.

A straggling dock worker slammed into his shoulder and Gabriel grunted in surprise. He hadn't been watching where he was going, the myriad sights and smells overwhelming.

"Yarra! Hegesh na kekul rahüt!"

Gabriel stared, the proper response stuck in his throat.

The yautja snarling at him suddenly cringed, his yellow glowing bionic eye widening in horror, an emotion Gabriel had never seen expressed by the few of his kind that he'd encountered during his hunts with H'darak. "Y-ye sja'arra, arrakai! C'jekku na ra'eka." The dock worker bowed low, backing away as quickly as he could before stumbling over to a ship that had just landed.

Gabriel stared after him, his brow furrowed in confusion. He should've been the one to apologize. Right?

He looked down at himself and instantly found his answer. In the middle of the X-shaped leather straps running across his chest was the golden seal of the arbiters. H'darak had given him a spare set of his armor before their first korvakra hunt together.

Oh.

The male had thought he was an arbiter.

Perfect. Now he was impersonating a cop.

Above, the the dockmaster's single, glaring eye spotted the altercation and Gabriel decided that standing around and gawking was going to get him in trouble. With H'darak's ship taken back into storage, he followed a group of warriors and crafters to a transport station, standing back and watching what they did since he had zero clue on how to get around. Each person passed through a gate, scanning their wrist comps before descending into the tunnels below, reminding him of the subway systems he'd heard of on human worlds with large cities. Some of the wrist comps were similar in design to his own; black, rectangular boxes designed to be efficient and durable. Others were more sophisticated and elegant, their owners usually wrapped in scarlet robes or ceremonial armor.

Gabriel glanced down at his communicator, twisting his arm as he examined it. The passengers either had a special pass or credits, neither of which he was sure he had and he didn't want to cause a scene. All he had were a few pieces of bone he'd swiped from the storage room.

A surge of guilt twisted his insides. He'd stolen from H'darak. And possibly a trophy too. He fingered the pouch tied to his belt. Maybe he should just wait here—

Something tugged at his hip.

His hand jerked, instinctively clamping onto whatever had brushed against him. A panicked squeak greeted his ears and Gabriel looked down to see a small, filthy child cowering next to him. The boy had a wild look in his eyes and Gabriel could feel his racing pulse through his tight grip.

His surge of delight at seeing an actual yautja child was instantly quashed. The boy was mostly bone, his tendrils cracked and lackluster. The stench of fear wafted from him, a sickly sweet smell that made surrounding bystanders wrinkle their mandibles in disgust. On the fringes of his sight, several small shadows darted into outlying hallways and underneath grates.

Pity filled Gabriel. The kid had tried to pickpocket him. An "arbiter." He was either too inexperienced or desperate. And none of the other children hiding nearby dared help him. "What are you doing?" he rumbled.

The child shook, a pathetic mewl the only answer he received.

Gabriel gave the room a quick, sweeping glance. The few onlookers watching them quickly looked the other way when his eyes met theirs. Assured no one would intervene, he grabbed the pup by the scruff of the neck and dragged him outside. Once they were out of sight, he shoved the boy's shoulder down, growling as authoritatively as he could. "Sit."

The boy collapsed, his large, wide eyes watching Gabriel's every move. Slowly, he crouched in front of the boy, his muscled girth overshadowing the trembling pup.

Gabriel took a moment to study him, amazed at how small he was. In a way, he was kind of cute, his race's fierce disposition not yet fully evident. He reached into his pouch and plucked a small piece of bone out.

The boy cringed at the gesture.

"I need your help."

Confusion filled his face when he noticed the offering.

Gabriel mentally rehearsed the words before he said them. "I need a... small transport. Light and fast. Where I… can find that?" Crap. He'd mixed up his verbs.

The pup stared hungrily at the piece of bone Gabriel slowly twirled in his claws.

"Well?"

The child squirmed uncomfortably, mandibles flexing in indecision. Gabriel chuffed and pulled out another small bone. "You bargain hard."

A shocked chirp choked the pup's throat, his red eyes growing even larger.

Gabriel cocked his head, the two pieces of bone cupped in his outstretched palm.

"G-Gujarra."

"Gujarra?" He didn't know that word.

"The n'jelok."

N'jelok?… Oh, right. Mechanic. So Gujarra was a name.

"Take me to him."

The boy scrambled to his feet and darted around the corner, Gabriel striding after. He found the pup the the edge of a scrapyard, crouching behind a plasma-scarred pile of metal. In the distance, Gabriel spied an older yautja bent over a work bench.

"Gujarra," the boy whispered as he peered around the corner.

Gabriel looked down at the boy, regret filling him. He nudged him with his foot, holding out the two pieces of bone, wishing there was more he could do. The boy snatched them from his hand and ran, disappearing into the behemoth dock works.

Taking a deep breath and pulling back his shoulders, Gabriel approached the grizzled elder. Seated on the shell of giant, rusted piston, the ancient hunched over a metal slab, the fizz of sparks flashing as he repaired an old battery. Gabriel cleared his throat. The whirring tool silenced and the elder glanced up at him, wincing in the harsh sunlight. "Hm? What do you want?"

Gabriel dug into pouch and pulled out a small reptile's skull.

The battery forgotten, knobby fingers, scarred and worn from a lifetime of dockwork, plucked the jewel-encrusted cranium from his hand, a dull claw reverently tracing the intricate pattern carved into the arrow-shaped scalp. Gujarra's deep, gravelly voice hissed with regret, his words rolling ponderously between from his sagging, yellow mandibles and he bowed his head. "Your gift is well-made arrakai, but it is too much for a mere day's journey by hoverbike. A few pieces of spine would suffice."

"I want to buy, shaikal."

The elder's thickly spiked eyebrows raised slightly and he rumbled. "To buy you say, well then..." He slowly twisted around. "You'll want that one," he said, pointing to the storage room carved into the thick walls of the massive port. A silver hovercycle sparkled in the darkness, hidden behind a mound of dead parts and scuttering droids.

Gabriel gave a slight nod to the mechanic and took his prize, the vehicle loosing a sonorous wail as he streaked towards the city.

Alien trees whipped past him, his hearts racing as he wove between metal spires and soaring stone temples. The red rays of the three suns illuminated every detail in stunning shades of burgundy, carnelian and jasper. Lavafalls poured from ancient ruins into deep gorges, the white-hot rivers shrouded by a rippling haze of molten heat. Below, thousands of his kind filled the stone roads and trade squares, the scent of a hundred exotic spices and oils filling his mouth. He streaked around the perimeter of the city, following the crumbling ridges of a great wall that stretched into the scarlet horizon. The suns' combined heat sent surges of incredible energy through him, the planet's gravity falling away as a primal euphoria filled his being. He forgot the loneliness and claustrophobia from days of isolation aboard H'darak's ship, his frustration melting away.

Eventually, hunger drove him to the surface, his confidence shrinking as he settled the hover bike against a wall and stepped into a shaded courtyard. The bustling market sunk into the ground, ancient trees with long thick vines overshadowing the wide pathways, their thick roots breaking up large slabs of stone. Gabriel hung back beneath an archway, watching and listening.

The first thing that struck him was the quiet.

With languid feline grace, yautja moved about the wide road, their sandaled feet softly scuffing against the stone. Grunts, clicks and low growls punctuated the air, a tumbling murmur that felt oddly soothing and bizarre at the same time. Most wore loincloths, while others sported wide, golden collars, gilded armor or red capes.

The second thing he noticed were the females.

Whereas the males settled for metal bands snapped onto their tendrils, the females' hair was decorated with bones, feathers and jewels, elaborate weaves looping, twisting and piling in every way imaginable. They chittered and chirped amongst themselves in tight knit clusters, their generous hips sashaying passed him without a single glance. Gabriel stared. They were actually… attractive. Everything seemed softer about them, even their scent. Smaller crests, higher cheekbones, pale skin and delicate claws all wrapped in loose, flowing silk.

The trance ended with an abrupt gurgle, his stomach clenching in pain. Shaking off the desire to continue watching, he wandered into the square, quietly sniffing for the scent of food.

The mouthwatering scent of something slowly roasting over an open flame filled his mouth, displacing the hundred other unfamiliar smells clamoring for his attention. He turned right, striding as quick as he dared down the lane without drawing attention to himself. A difficult feat, since most couldn't help but glance his way, the golden crest of the arbiters blazing across his chest in the late afternoon light. The road lead him to a large tower, the base floor gutted and open to the elements. Male yautja crowded the bright interior, a large animal slowly turning over a fire pit. He didn't know what it was or how much it cost, but he couldn't wait to try it—

Gabriel nearly tripped over the hunched figure bowing low before him and he growled in surprise.

The figure cringed but did not move.

Gabriel sighed and crossed his arms, trying to look as nonchalant as possible. Inside, his hearts thundered as loud as the massive cargo ships sailing across the scarlet sky. "What is it?"

The male — at least, he assumed it was a male — wrung his hands, huffing mewls of indecision coming from within the featureless mask.

Anxiety crawled up Gabriel's spine. The confrontation was earning him some unwanted stares. Exactly what he'd been trying to avoid.

"Follow me," he barked, striding off towards a side street without looking back to see if the masked figure followed. He half-hoped the male had decided to disappear as he turned around.

The short male was right behind him, almost clinging to him like a second shadow. His nervous hands were hidden beneath the thick folds of his robes but Gabriel could still tell he was incredibly anxious. Such a flagrant display of weakness went against everything H'darak had taught him. He tried to imagine what his mentor would have done given the same situation.

Gabriel frowned. H'darak would've either ignored the male or publicly chastised him. Arbiters weren't like cops; you didn't go to them for help. But the male had approached him for help. He crossed his arms again, his brow furrowing as he tried to figure out what to do. What would Sheriff Brady have done? "So… what is wrong?"

The male-thing made a croaking sound and it rocked side to side, it's arms clutched against its chest.

Gabriel could tell he was getting frustrated. Which made him frustrated. He growled and paced back and forth trying to figure out what to do.

"Kah!" he barked, bumping the heel of his palm against his forehead. It was so obvious. He stood in front of the male, gesturing as H'darak had taught him. He'd picked up on the hunt signs used for silent communication a lot quicker than the spoken language.

_What is wrong?_

The male's hands shot out of sleeves, blitzing hand signs faster than Gabriel could comprehend.

He held up his hands, bobbing his flattened palms. _Slow._

The male huffed quietly and signed again, Gabriel understanding bits and pieces. _Three males… prisoner… east… hurry._

_Three prisoners?_

_No! Three enemy. One prisoner. Female. Hurry!_

The masked male was smart, Gabriel gave him that. He'd jumped to Gabriel's level instantly. His signing had been as complex as the hand signals he'd used with Rin, maybe more so. He snapped off his gauntlet and and held it out to the male. _Show me where._

The male hesitated.

_Hurry!_

Shaking hands snatched the device and pulled up a hologram of the city. He tapped in the coordinates, a pulsing red line zigzagging to the southeast. The destination set, Gabriel tapped his wrist comp again, then waited.

The male signed, but Gabriel didn't need to understand to know he was asking why they weren't on the move.

_Patience._

The figure's long, drooping sleeves fell to the ground, mask cocking to the side.

As if on cue, his hovercycle came screaming around the corner, the masked male squeaking as he fell out of the way. Gabriel trilled, mimicking the yautja version of laughter. He hopped on, transferring the coordinates to his bike then turned and held out his hand to the yautja. Come.

The male scrambled on, hands clutched against his chest to avoid touching him. The social etiquette was quickly abandoned however as soon as the hovercycle blasted into the air.

**~\'/~**

Quietly, Gabriel landed on a flat-topped roof, the male stumbling to his knees in what looked like relief. He brushed his shoulder and the masked yautja flinched, cowering against the ground. It was incredibly bizarre, Gabriel decided as he drew back his hand. Were arbiters really that cruel? Or was the male that much of a coward?

Well, he'd been brave enough to approach him, so he wasn't a complete coward, he thought. _Where are the korvakra?_ he signed.

The male held up his left hand and slid his right around it, then pointed straight ahead.

Gabriel nodded. _Stay here_.

Without a sound, he leapt to the ground and loped forward, popping on his mask with a sharp hiss. The cracked stoneway led to a narrow alley lined with storage units. Slowly, Gabriel peered around the corner.

Three males were loading a ship with crates and other supplies. The prisoner was nowhere in sight and he couldn't see inside the ship. He listened in to their conversation as he clambered up to the rooftops, crouching as he quietly made his way around to where the trio worked.

_"How much you think we'll get for the haul?"_

_"Chh, not much. The new mine master is a greedy sekfet from what I've heard."_

_"Quiet. You leave the negotiating to me. Now finish loading the cargo. The quicker we deliver, the better we get paid."_

Neither objected as they hauled the last of the goods inside the ship. "That's it then. Let's— hey!" The pair froze on the dock ramp, their eyes widening in shock.

Gabriel smiled behind his mask. "Cetanu greets you this evening," he clicked, using H'darak's favorite taunt. He glanced back over at their leader, Gabriel's sword pressed against his throat. The disbelief on his face was priceless. "I heard there were three korvakra nearby. Have you seen them?"

One of the males muttered a curse and the leader stiffened, a low growl rolling up his throat. "How dare you insult us. You have no ri—"

Gabriel pressed the tip of the blade against the bottom of his jaw, silencing his words and tilting his head back to expose his neck. "I have every right," he growled. After waiting a moment to make sure everyone understood who was in charge, he slowly withdrew his blade. "I will look at your ship before I leave. Step aside."

The pair drew apart, backing away from the ramp as Gabriel strode forward. He'd barely set foot on the metal dock when their larger leader yelled, "Get him!"

_Dammit._

Gabriel spun, blocking the shortest yautja's wristblades with his sword. A solid kick to the abdomen sent Shorty tumbling to the ground.

His partner, Stripes, lunged with his spear, Gabriel redirecting the strike just in time, the silver blade hissing past his face. Snarling, the korvakra jabbed straight for his stomach. Gabriel dropped his sword and grabbed the weapon. He twisted and rolled, ripping the spear from Stripe's hands. The male cried out as the spear end sliced up his face, blood seeping between his fingers as he clutched at the wound.

Shorty pounced as soon as Gabriel came up, grabbing onto the spear and swinging Gabriel around as they struggled for control. "Now, Zaru!" he yelled.

Gabriel's mask shrieked in warning as the sound of a weapon charging came from behind. Shorty shoved him backwards, letting go of the spear. Gabriel let himself fall, flattening himself on the ground. A shadow hissed over him and engulfed the other male. Shorty's horrified howl quickly morphed into roars of pain as the razor net began to constrict.

"Nakande!" Stripes ran for his friend, desperately cutting away at the net.

Gabriel turned to face the one called Zaru. Their leader didn't seemed concerned by the bloodcurdling screams of his compatriot. In fact, he almost seemed to enjoy the mayhem.

"Daka, let him die."

With a snarl of rage, Stripes stabbed his partner in the eye. Nakande's screams abruptly ceased, the quiet filled by the sickening whirr of the razor net as it continued to slice through flesh and bone.

Gabriel jumped to his feet. His sword was too far away for him to grab and his bow would be useless in close combat. He'd have to use the spear. Gabriel hefted the weapon into the ready position, the way H'darak had shown him.

Stripes roared, his skin was flushed white with rage and a single long blade snapped from his wrist. He charged, knocking Gabriel to the ground and slashing wildly.

Gabriel strained to hold him off, the raging yautja stabbing the ground with his scythe-like blade, barely missing his head.

The keening sound of engines flaring distracted the enraged male for a brief second and Gabriel retracted the spear, jabbing the end of the shortened weapon into Stripes' throat. Adrenaline streaming through his veins and Gabriel continued the vicious assault, bright yellow blood pouring onto his mask and chest. He stabbed until the light left Stripes' eyes.

With a snarl, Gabriel tossed him aside and scrambled to his feet, racing towards the hovering ship. Gabriel grabbed his sword and leapt onto the dock as it retracted, rolling inside just before the doors sealed.

Shakily, he rose to his feet, his hearts hammering as he scanned for any signs of life. The room was pitch black and the only thing he could smell was Stripes' blood dripping down his arms and chest. He crept through the gloom, quickly spotting the cool, orange form of a bound yautja at the back of the small cargo hold. He smelled strange and Gabriel coughed to clear his throat. His male musk was incredibly heavy. And annoying. Gabriel coughed again and shook him. Nothing.

Whack! He slapped the side of the head not protected by his mask.

The male jolted awake, hissing and kicking as soon as he saw Gabriel.

Gabriel raised an eyebrow behind his mask. The male could at least have some dignity. "Quiet! We're escaping."

The yautja stilled and Gabriel slid a knife from his shin guard, quickly slicing through the leather bonds. He tapped his wrist computer as he headed towards the back of the ship.

"What are you doing?" The male's voice was strangely distorted.

Gabriel ignored him and grabbed a plasma rifle from the wall. "Stay back."

"Wh—"

A concussive boom shook the transport, the superheated plasma leaving a steaming hole where the door used to be. The craft jerked, the pilot suddenly aware that something was wrong. "Let's go!" shouted Gabriel. He discarded the rifle and tossed a pistol to the yautja beside him.

"Go? Go where? We're hundreds of feet in the air!"

His hovercycle appeared behind the transporter and he jerked the yautja forward. "Jump."

The male ripped his arm free. "Are you crazy!? Shoot the pilot!" He pointed in the direction of Zaru.

"H'ko. Destroy controls and engine," Gabriel growled, his grasp of the language slipping as he grew frustrated. "Jump!" Without waiting for a reply, Gabriel dove through the hole, his hoverbike breaking away after him. He grabbed ahold of the control bars and twisted it around in time to see the male tumbling after him through the sky.

Gabriel dove, pulling up underneath the flailing yautja and quickly slowing. The yautja's claws dug into his flesh and armor as he scrambled for a hold. "C'jit! Ya sulak ga'ojura!" the male yelled, crushing Gabriel's ribs as held on for dear life.

Gabriel hissed but didn't say anything. They needed to get out of here before…

The transporter ship banked sharply left and screamed straight towards them.

Oh shit.

Gabriel shot forward towards the center of the city, Zaru instantly giving chase. He pushed the nose of the bike down, weaving between buildings and whipping around tight corners. But the small ship was light, maneuverable and had larger engines, and slowly, Zaru started closing the distance. Gabriel figured he would try to ram them. If he could make it to the docks then maybe...

A bright ball of plasma shrieked past, singing Gabriel's skin and smash into the side of a building. He cursed and banked right.

More plasma bolts screamed from behind. But they were traveling in the wrong direction. Gabriel quickly glanced back. The male was firing the plasma pistol they'd stolen, shooting with one hand and gripping Gabriel's armor with the other. Obscenities streamed from his mouth with each shot.

The transporter fell back, the onslaught unexpected.

Gabriel thought their luck would hold. Then the pistol began to chime in warning. The plasma chamber was overheating. "C'jit!" yelled the male in frustration.

Seeing his chance, Zaru thundered after them, a hail of plasma bolts screaming around them.

A concussive explosion jolted their hovercycle and sent them tumbling, Gabriel twisting the control bar and veering upright. The male behind him whooped in victory and Gabriel turned to see the fiery remnants of the transport ship fall to the ground, patrol ships bristling with cannons circling the area. Relief filled him for a moment.

Then the ships came after them.

Fear clenched his gut as his mask squawked in warning, the order to land immediately or be destroyed scrolling across his vision. He dove, gently landing in the middle of a square. A patrol ship followed them, its dark shadow swallowing them as it hovered overhead.

Only one thought filled his mind as he stared up at the black belly of the ship.

_H'darak's going to kill me._


	3. Group Three

**Author's Note**

Thanks for the reviews so far - keep 'em coming! Also, AAEdmonds has persuaded me to post Chapter 8 and 9 together so you can thank him for that treat.

I will continue to update my profile after every new chapter with background info until I run out. This week I added information about the Dhazar'yin system like I did for the Ixion system in Son of the Spear. Enjoy!

* * *

Rashai

**Djokani Kacheru Asaiya** - _djoh-KAH-nee kah-CHEH-ruu ah-SAI-yah_ - The Storm of Beauty and Power

**Fazira Henadhi Itara** - _fah-ZEE-rah heh-NAH-dee ih-TAH-rah_ - The Fallen Star of Wisdom

Ashaila

**Avorra** - _ah-VORR-ah_ - Proud (Unbreakable)

**Nayadhi** - _nah-YAH-dee_ - Treasure (Beloved)

Arrakai

**Garangar Dakuur Oyune** - _gah-RAHN-gahr dah-KUUR oh-YUU-neh_ - The Long Saber of Honor and Justice

Sanja

**Ul'juska Athende** - _ul-JUUS-kah ah-THEN-deh_ - The Mighty Spear that Runs with Blood

Threita

**Aish'katal** - _AISH-kah-tahl_ - Quick Grin

**Kachente** - _kah-SHEN-teh_ - Steadfast

**Tuchonde** - _tuu-SHON-deh_ - Agile

Threiyan

**Anu** - _ah-NUU_

**Gesh** - _GEHSH_

**Koru** - _KOH-ruu_

**Lorka** - _LOR-kah_

**Rytha** - _RAI-thah_

**Skarn** - _SKAHRN_

**Tesk** - _TEHSK_

**Yun** - _YUHN_

**Zash** - _ZAASH_

Taun'gra

**aseinan **- _ah-SEH-nahn -_ silent one

**kasenja** - _kah-SEN-jah - _training room

**q'seiya** - _kih-SEH-yah_ - sister

* * *

**Group Three**

* * *

Somehow, he always managed to end up in trouble.

Gabriel slowly paced about the small room, the metallic walls bereft of any distinguishing features for the eyes to study. Shivers prickled up his arms and back and he could almost see his breath. The place was unbearably cold. He resisted the urge to fold his arms and hunch his shoulders. It would make him look weak. The arbiters would be watching for that if they were anything like H'darak. His master and mentor had beaten into him a healthy dose of paranoia the first few months aboard his ship.

Across the room, the masked male leaned against the wall, occasionally shuddering but otherwise remaining silent. He hadn't said a single word after Zaru had been shot down. Despite the chill in the air, the same cloying musk surrounded him. Without more subtle scents or facial cues to go on, Gabriel couldn't get a read.

"So… what's your name?"

The male looked over at him, then looked away.

Gabriel frowned. Maybe if he goaded him. "I'm surprised you jumped. I thought you were too scared."

That got his attention, but he still didn't say anything.

"How did you get caught?"

The male huffed and looked away again.

Gabriel bit back a growl. The guy wanted to be a stuck-up asshole? Fine. He shifted to where part of his back was turned towards him and crossed his arms.

The male rumbled, but Gabriel didn't even glance over. _That's right. I turned my back on you. What are you gonna do about it?_

A sharp hiss broke the quiet as the door spiraled open, mist gushing into the room as the warm, humid air outside met the frigid air of the holding cell. Three yautja bristling with armor and weapons stepped forward and Gabriel's stomach sunk into his pelvis.

Bringing up the rear with another yautja was H'darak. His yellow eyes burned with a cold rage that sucked away the warmth from Gabriel's extremities. Yep, H'darak was going to kill him.

"You're looking at the wrong arbiter, boy," growled the leader of the pack. The massive yautja broke from the group and approached him. His scaled armor was made of black leather and solid bone, bent and twisted to conform perfectly with his muscled body. The horns and snout of a fearsome alien beast protruded from his left shoulder, while a black cloak fell to the floor behind him. His ruddy jaw and crest were covered with scars and thorn-like barbs, a natural armor that only added to the intense ferocity emanating from him.. "Look me in the eyes, pup."

Gabriel obeyed, overwhelmed by the yautja's scent. Only an absolute idiot would ignore a scent like his.

Crimson irises seared into his wide, amber eyes, almost daring him to blink. A three-inch claw tapped the arbiter's sigil at the center of Gabriel's chest. "Do you know what the penalty is for impersonating an arbiter?"

"Death."

The elder yautja snarled and grabbed his throat, slamming him against the wall. "H'ko! First, your eyes are gouged out and your tendrils and mandibles cut off. Then you are hung by the wrists and lashed 100 times across the front and back. Your howling, skinless carcass is then dragged outside the temple and put on display as a warning! Only _then_... do you have our permission to die."

The gruesome corpses decorating the outside of the pyramid suddenly made a horrifying sense. Fear lanced through him. They were going to kill him. Even if he'd done the right thing.

No! Gabriel buried his panic and glared at the elder. He had to stand by his decision. Sung's final words of advice echoed through his mind. _Show no fear. If you can manage that, you just might survive. _Summoning his courage, Gabriel glared, a soft growl rolling up his throat.

The elder's crushing grip silenced his defiance, cutting off his ability to breathe or move his head. Still, even as black spots danced across his vision, he refused to panic. He dug his claws into his palms. His lungs screamed for air.

As the world began to spin, the arbiter released him with a satisfied grunt.

Gabriel fell to his knees, coughing and heaving as his lungs gulped down the cool, soothing air.

"The gods favor you, boy. Were it not for Shaikal Ekanu, I would've had you beaten within an inch of your life. And you," he whirled, setting his sights on the masked male. "What sort of fool lets himself get caught by a couple of skimmers?! I should toss you into a mine pit to rot-"

The elder paused, his mandibles pulling back into a disgusted snarl. "What is that smell?"

Before the male could answer the elder grabbed his throat and ripped off his mask.

The male next to H'darak let out a chirp of surprise.

Gabriel stared, dumbfounded.

"_You_," the arbiter growled. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

The female glared at him, baring her fangs. "That is none of your business, Arrakai Garangar."

The elder roared for the guards.

The female shoved his arm away. "How dare you touch me? I am the daughter of Rajara Sja'adi."

"I know who you are, princess," snapped Garangar.

The words tumbled out before Gabriel could stop them. "She's a princess!?"

"Silence!" snarled Garangar. He returned his attention to the female, his voice lowering until it was a menacing growl. "This is the second time I've caught you outside the Fire Spitters' territory looking for trouble, Avorra. Make sure it doesn't happen a third time." He motioned for the guards. "Take her to the Fire Spitters' rashai to be punished."

The guards dragged her away, her indignant protests echoing down the hall.

"What the hell is going on?"

The elder arbiter glared at Gabriel, growling a warning. "Quiet, boy. You're lucky we don't skin you and use your hide to repair the damage done to the city." He left without another word, Gabriel noticing the cold shoulder he gave to his mentor as he passed. It suddenly struck him that his teacher might also be paying a price for his actions. His first day on the homeworld and he'd disappeared, stolen money, bought a hovercycle, killed a person and got into a high-speed firefight in the middle of the city. _Well, at least you saved a princess_, Gabriel reminded himself sardonically.

Sjeikende tossed H'darak a piece of bone. "You win."

"We weren't betting, Isskela."

"You mean _you_ weren't betting. I was certain he would die this time," he said as they exited the cell, Gabriel following a few meters with his head down.

The trio eventually arrived at the docks and Ichande ordered his wayward pupil onto his ship with a harsh bark. Reluctantly, the boy did as he was told.

"Want to bet on how long he'll last under Ul'juska?"

Ichande rubbed the bridge between his mouth and eyes. "H'ko."

Sjeikende clapped his friend on the back. "I'll be generous and give him a month."

"Your faith in my teaching skills is so reassuring," Ichande drawled.

"Don't mention it. By the way, can I have the hovercycle he bought?"

"H'ko."

His friend sighed. "Oh well… at least today was interesting."

Ichande watched his friend leave then trudged up the ramp, his head killing him. The sooner they were gone, the better.

One day. The boy hadn't even lasted _one day_ on their homeworld. He slumped into the pilot's chair and engaged the ship, a soothing hum filling the air. He tapped in Ul'juska's name, the holo-map zipping across space as it searched for his vessel. It found its last known location, a warp trail the only clue as to the direction the ship had gone. Ichande calculated their destination, the ship slowly lifting from the dock and soaring into the starry sky.

* * *

**~\'/~**

* * *

The ships docked with a resounding thud.

Below, in the cramped, pitch-black barracks, Gabriel slowly sat up. He eased himself to the edge of the bed, gripping the rough leather with his claws. He felt like he was going to throw up.

Red light bled into the hold as the hatch slid back, H'darak staring down at him. Neither said a word as Gabriel soundlessly climbed out and gathered what little gear was his.

Breechcloth. Cod piece. Sandals.

That was it.

H'darak had confiscated his sword and bow after they'd left the homeworld. When Gabriel had protested, he'd snarled, 'If you truly value them then you will have to earn them back, pup! I've been too lenient with you. Pray your new teacher will do better.'

A great chasm had opened up between them since his impromptu escapade nearly a week ago. They didn't train or eat together anymore. Some nights they didn't even share the sleeping hole. There wasn't really a specific word for an apology as far as he was aware of and Gabriel didn't look for it. Yes, he'd disobeyed. But he'd saved a person's life. That meant something.

_You also humiliated him._

Gabriel shook his head, futilely trying to silence his doubts. Now wasn't the time. He had to focus. Today, he would meet his new sanja and blood brothers. Until the rite of passage, they would be his entire world. It was important that he make a good first impression.

He met H'darak at the hatch, the door's mechanisms whirring as the two ships synced pressurization. With a sibilant hiss the doors peeled open, allowing them to the pass over into the larger training vessel.

Three yautja waited for them. The two subordinates stood just behind their leader to either side, their hands clasped behind their backs. The one on the right was midnight brown, while the one on the left was a golden beige. Both were blooded and had earned their share of scars to prove it. Their leader crossed his arms, his amber eyes burning straight past H'darak and into Gabriel. When he finally acknowledged H'darak, it was with a sneer. "Arrakai."

"Ul'juska."

A tense standoff ensued as they measured each other. The one called Ul'juska glared, his stony features rigid and tense. Although he looked like he could hold his own against his mentor, Gabriel sensed a strong undercurrent of fear in the olive-skinned leader.

"Why have you come?"

"The elders have charged me with bringing this threiyan to you to train," he replied, stepping aside to reveal Gabriel more fully.

A flash of disdain and anger passed across Ul'juska's face. "You can't be serious."

"These orders come directly from Shaikal Ekanu and the council of elders. It also has the full support of the Fire Spitters and Thunder Fists' matriarchs."

The pronouncement may as well have been a punch to the gut. Ul'juska's arms fell to his side, disbelief replacing all hostility. Trying to regain a sense of control, he barked at his two subordinates. "Take the threiyan to the kasenja and then gather the others to prepare for the hunt."

Wordlessly, the two acolytes and Gabriel obeyed.

When they were out of sight, Ul'juska growled a warning before the arbiter could make a move. He'd ventured far enough into his ship.

"Be careful, Athende. Do I need to remind of what happened the last time you lost your temper with an arbiter?"

"Oh, I remember very well your 'justice,' arrakai."

"Good, then I'll let the council know that you've accepted the boy."

"I already have nine students and two acolytes. Twelve is too many."

"And the Thunder Fists thank you for making an exception."

Athende growled at the mention of his clan's name. "What makes this pup so special? He's as old as my apprentices. Why hasn't he been blooded?"

H'darak smiled coldly. "Gesh is a pawn to repair the damage done by your brother 20 years ago."

Athende snarled at the mention of his brother. "How dare you mention _him_ in my presence. What does this boy have to do with any of that?"

"Because Gesh is Tuchonde and Nayadhi's son."

Shock flushed Athende's skin a bright yellow. "Impossible… that's impossible."

"I did the blood tests myself to confirm it. It is fortunate the females keep such extensive records of their lines."

"H'ko!" Athende slashed the air with his hand. "I monitored their ship. The… the signal was lost when they crashed." His hearts hammered in his chest as a giddy horror filled him. He'd just confessed to being an accessory. Twenty years of secrecy and he'd finally slipped up.

"You knew where they were?" H'darak's eyes glinted with a dark light.

"I didn't know they were dead until Garangar released me. By then there was no point in telling anyone anything." Athende suppressed a shudder. That old sekfet had nearly broken him in the torture pits.

"I'll pretend I heard nothing as long as you consent to train the boy. Am I clear, _Soruk_?"

Athende choked with rage at the use of his intimate name, but he was smart enough to keep silent.

"Good. Everything depends on the boy surviving his chiva. He is your blood, thus your fate is tied to his. Consider this an opportunity for you to redeem yourself as well. Should the boy succeed, the elders have asked that we remove all black marks from your record."

"You bastards…" The arrakai had him by the balls, Athende realized. If his honor were restored he could get a better ship, advertise to higher ranking families to send him their sons to train, even mate for the first time in gods knew how long. "How do I know I can trust you?"

H'darak moved forward until they were eye-to-eye, a low growl rolling up his chest. "Because an arbiter's word is his life." With those final words H'darak left, the ships doors sealing behind him.

Athende stood there for several long moments, regret and shame filling him. He'd let the arbiter talk down to him as if he were foolish unblood. Twenty years he'd toiled his way up the ranks, earning his own ship and students, most surviving to become impressive warriors. Now it was clear no matter how hard he worked, his brother's selfish actions would forever taint his reputation. Damn you, brother. First I pay for your sins and now you saddle me with your son. I should never have protected you.

He straightened his shoulders, flexing his muscles as he took a long, deep breath. So be it. He'd train the boy. But he'd do it his way.

The large training room was packed with his students, all sniffing and rumbling about the newcomer. Aish'katal had stayed with Gesh, making sure the other threiyan stayed clear of him until Athende had had his time to introduce him. A few of them would try to challenge him to an unsupervised fight otherwise.

A low growl silenced them and they shuffled to attention. "Where is Kachente?"

"He's prepping the ship to land, honorable sanja," replied Aish'katal.

"Good. Go join him."

The young blood trotted off, leaving Gabriel alone in the center of the raised platform, his new sanja circling him like a hungry foxwolf. His hearts hammered in his chest as he stared back at the other threiyan, none of whom looked remotely pleased at his existence. A new pack brother meant more competition.

"This is Gesh. Like you, he is a nameless, worthless piece of c'jit and will probably die before he ever tastes the soft, sweet flesh of a screaming kalei in heat." His last words earned him a few snickers. "He will join you in your training and, if he can keep out of Cetanu's sight, fight with you on your chiva. Kachente."

The acolyte's voice answered from the intercom overhead. _"Saa?"_

"Are we prepared to land?"

_"We've breached the atmosphere and are nearing the surface now."_

A brief shudder shook the ship as the thrusters engaged.

"Grab your gear and meet in the landing platform. Now!" Ul'juska barked.

Shouts and growls filled the air as the young males raced each other down the hall. Gabriel looked over at his sanja, confused.

"What the hell are you staring at? Unless you want to hunt with a broken knife, I suggest you move it!"

Gabriel took off, following the snarls and whoops echoing from below. It was an all out brawl when he skidded to a halt at the edge of the mayhem. Piles of armor and weapons were devoured in seconds, roars and fists flying as the hot-blooded males fought over the best equipment. Taking a deep breath, Gabriel dove in, elbowing someone in the face and jerking back another by their tendrils as he searched for a weapon. He grabbed a spear but his presence had not gone unnoticed. Several threiyan pounced on him at once and knocked him to the ground, ripping the spear from his grasp. He roared and fought back, managing to trip a least one of his assailants.

_Whack!_

Someone's foot connected with his face and yellow stars danced across his vision.

A thunderous roar quieted the raucous youngsters.

"Did I say grab your gear or kill each other?" Ul'juska glared at them.

The unbloods took the hint, quickly grabbing what they could and shuffling off. Gabriel staggered to his feet, wiping the blood from his mouth. He scanned the tables for what was left. A cracked chest plate, an arm guard, shredded camo-net, a strange disc and a spear with one end shorn off. He took everything but the camo-net, glancing around at what everyone else had managed to acquire.

It seemed as if there was a shortage of gear. No one had a full set, except for maybe the large, hulking yautja with lots of scars at the head of the group by the door. He looked like he had some of the best gear. The only other threiyan who came close to him in size was a serious looking yautja with amber skin. The male caught his gaze and growled. Gabriel quickly looked away, strapping on his arm and chest guard. He still had no idea what the domed-shaped disc was supposed to be.

The craft landed with a shudder and everyone peeled to either side of the bay, letting their sanja be the first to set foot on the planet. Gabriel brought up the rear as the group filed out in ones and twos, forming a loose semi-circle around their leader. Aish'katal and Kachente soon joined them.

Dawn was slowly burning away the cool mist that shielded the forested lowlands, strange bird calls echoing from the soaring treetops. The air was oxygen rich and Gabriel felt incredibly light. He bet he could jump twice as high and run twice as far as he normally could. To his right, massive boulders covered in creeping moss and vines studded the misty hills. To his left stretched a rolling savannah, wide, umbrella-like trees dotting the horizon. A twinge of homesickness filled him as he recalled the golden hills of the Whistling Plains.

Ul'juska clicked and everyone's attention turned to him.

"You may have noticed that you aren't wearing masks. This is because sometimes you will be forced to fight without them. Those who rely on technology too much end up dead when it fails them. Your best weapons are your mind and the warrior beside you. Alone you are weak but together you are strong."

He nodded to Aish'katal, who stepped forward, pulling up a list from his wrist computer. "Today, you will hunt the feyari. They are fierce pack hunters and very fast. To take them down, you must work with your group. Each group must kill at least one for it to be considered a successful hunt. Groups will be assigned."

A quiet grumbling followed his last words.

"Group One will consist of Anu..."

A tall, well-built yautja with sienna skin stepped forward. His long tendrils were tied back from his face, each swaying in time to his graceful steps.

"Skarn…"

The hulking, dark-skinned yautja, now even larger thanks to the armor he'd acquired, joined the serious-looking Anu.

"And Lorka."

The amber-skinned giant that had growled at Gabriel earlier joined the other two. Looking around, Gabriel realized they were largest and most well-equipped of the pack.

"You will head west," continued Aish'katal. "Group Two will consist of Yun and Zash…"

The two identical yautja punched each others' shoulder in excitement before trotting off to the side. They were a head smaller than most but judging from the bristling arsenal each carried they were a formidable tag team.

"Koru…"

A male with short locks and russet skin bounded forward, eagerly taking his place beside the two mischievous-looking twins.

"And Rytha."

The only thing Gabriel noticed about the slim male was his striking red hair. None of the others of his kind that he'd encountered had sported such a color. He'd assumed everyone had black dreadlocks until today.

"You four will head south. Group Three will be composed of the remaining threiyan and will head east."

Gabriel looked over at who was left and instantly wished he'd been placed in Group Two. One of the males in his group looked at him with what was obviously the intent to murder, his red eyes practically bleeding hatred and disdain. The other male…

Gabriel cocked his head. What was he doing?

The skinny male stared up at something in the sky, his mandibles pulled back in a wide grin beneath his glazed eyes.

Gabriel looked up to see what it was. Other than a few clouds, he saw nothing.

A few of the yautja sniggered at his confusion. The skinny male continued staring into space, oblivious to the laughter.

A sinking feeling entered his gut as Gabriel compared each group and realized where he'd been placed. _Great. I'm in the reject group._

The well-muscled yautja several paces away continued to scowl at him. The insane male was now wandering around as if drunk. Ul'juska and his assistants had mysteriously vanished. And Gabriel had no idea what he was looking for other than it could probably kill him.

The skinny male was suddenly in front of him, grinning wildly as he shoved his face incredibly close. His wide eyes, one orange, the other yellow, gleamed with insanity and Gabriel stood, transfixed by the mad light in those two strange eyes.

"Have you seen it?"

Gabriel's brow furrowed. "Uh… seen what?"

The umber-colored male ducked around his side and Gabriel backpedaled.

"What are you doing?!"

"I'm looking for it. Searching. Is it behind you?" He circled around Gabriel, clicking and muttering.

Gabriel growled, whirling around when he felt at a sharp tug on the backside of his breech cloth. "What the hell!?"

"He doesn't have it, Tesk," growled Red Eyes.

Utter devastation entered the skinny male's eyes. "But-"

"H'ko. Now let's go." He marched into the mist without waiting to see if they would follow.

A whimpering moan of despair escaped from Tesk's throat and he fell to his knees. "I'll never find it."

Utterly bewildered, Gabriel stared at the groaning yautja. "Um, Tesk? What are you looking for?"

His head snapped up, saliva spraying between his teeth as he hissed in anger. "The tail."

Gabriel nearly took a step back, the rage emanating from his eyes palpable. The tail? Had he heard that right? He looked around but everyone had disappeared, leaving him to deal with the snarling yautja that looked like he wanted to kill something. Telling the guy he didn't have a tail probably wouldn't work and might piss him off even more. Red Eyes had dumped them, but they had to hunt as a team so they needed to leave now if they wanted to catch up. "Well, maybe… maybe the tail's in the forest?"

Tesk popped up, grinning in excitement. "Saa! Saa! Good idea, Qesh."

"It's Gesh…"

The male bolted into the mist, laughing hysterically.

"... actually."

Gabriel sighed and jogged after, wiping away the blood still trickling from the corner of his mouth. He couldn't believe he was wishing he was on H'darak's ship right now. Maybe some of Tesk's madness had rubbed off on him.

* * *

**~\'/~**

* * *

The three suns had left the sky and a chill had begun to settle across the city. Fazira, high matriarch of the Fire Spitters, pulled her shawl tighter around her shoulders as she slipped across the stone pathway, the air humming with insects and nightbirds. Aseinan, silent as shadows, guarded the center of the garden. Unable to speak and raised to be unwaveringly loyal, the rashai could trust that their words tonight would be kept secret. The male guards were kept at the entrances. Their kind could not be allowed to interfere.

The Thunder Fists' high matriarch awaited her beneath the crystal-domed gazebo, the light of a dozen ember beetles flashing around her. Old age had yet to bend her to its will and she still retained a measure of her youthful grace that so many males had fallen for.

"Q'seiya," came the honeyed greeting, yellow eyes glinting in the darkness.

"Djokani."

"No need to be hostile, Fazira."

The Fire Spitters' rashai ignored the tease. "I don't understand your continued insistence that we meet here." _I'm too old for walking up stairs and sneaking about_, she silently added, too proud to admit that her age had finally caught up with her. Her time was almost upon her. She did not have long. And Djokani knew it.

"It has been my place of refuge for as long as I can remember. But it grows cold tonight, so let us end this before we start reminiscing of the long past. Are we in agreement?"

"Saa. Sja'adi's daughter has been chosen to succeed and will seal the bond with Nayadhi's son... _if_ he survives."

Djokani smiled. "And if he doesn't?"

"Then Hikala's bloodline will succeed."

The news did not please the Thunder Fists' rashai.

Fazira couldn't resist prying before she left. "I heard Ul'juska Athende was chosen to teach the boy? A dangerous choice. He could kill the boy out of vengeance to reclaim his honor."

"It is the risk I took when I overrode the council. The training will test them both. Failure is almost certain. But then success will be that much more glorious."

The Fire Spitters' matriarch said nothing as Djokani turned away. Soon, she too left the shadowed gazebo, slowly shuffling along the mossy path. There would much tension between her great-granddaughters' granddaughters and their offspring, especially since Sja'adi's only daughter insisted on being so headstrong. Fazira smiled. Just like her when she had been young.

She'd taken it as a sign from the gods when the young male Gesh had saved Avorra from the slavers. What were the odds of him rescuing a daughter of the Fire Spitters' clan, particularly one that belonged to such a prestigious bloodline? Fazira shook her head. It was destiny.


	4. Beware the Feyari

**Author's Note:** The inspiration for the feyari is taken from Rexin-Draic's Hyena-Dragon-Wolf drawing on Deviant Art.  


**Threiyan**

Sana - _SAH-nah_

**Taun'gra**

feyari - _feh-YAH-ree_ - translation unknown

Hish - _HIHSH_ - A powerful yautja faction that was banished from the motherworld before the Great Migration. Once believed to be exterminated during the War of Ancients, the fierce clan has grown in strength and numbers in recent years. They believe in conquest and would not hesitate to destroy the lesser races of the galaxy.

kaide sjei'adha - _KAI-deh sjeh-AH-dah_ - (lit. shadow skins or black demons depending on the symbols used) - The creatures are revered and hated, many believing they were sent by Cetanu himself to humble the great hunters of the past and remind them that they were mortal.

sjaaran - _SJAH-raan_ - equivalent to damn

* * *

**Beware the Feyari**

* * *

The mist began to clear as the white sun rose higher across the lilac sky, its shimmering rays piercing the the thick canopy and warming the egg-shaped monoliths that protruded from the earth. Some were several stories high, soaring above the treeline. Others were the size of large boulders. Elegant curves and dots covered their smooth surfaces in circles and whorls, no two alike. Gabriel crouched and plucked a smooth stone from a small creek, rolling it in his hand as he examined it. Swirling script spiraled from it's center, trailing off as the pattern curled around the stone's poles. A strange sadness filled him. He couldn't explain why, only that the weight of eons seemed to press upon him. He shuddered and glanced around at the other boulders dotting the forest, most covered by vines and anemone-like moss.

Who made them? he wondered as he stood, tucking the stone in his waist pouch.

Red Eyes, or Sana as he'd come to learn, didn't seem to care and Tesk… well, Tesk was more interested in other things. Invisible things.

The wind picked up, the trees sighing as their leaves waved back and forth. A strange song suddenly lifted from the forest floor, the soft whispers echoing all around them. The beauty of the haunting melody was suddenly shattered by screams.

Gabriel flinched and turned around in time to see Tesk bolt beneath a boulder stacked on top of several others, his terrified howls muffled by the stoney fortress.

Sana slid down the tree he'd been using to scout, leaping from the base and rolling to a crouch, his spear at the ready. "What happened?" he growled, scanning the area for danger.

Gabriel shrugged.

Sana snarled and snapped his spear back into its compact form. "That crazy sekfet is giving away our position. Every sjaaran animal is going to hear that and hide. Shut him up, Gesh," he barked as he strode off into the woods.

Tesk's screams faded with the wind. Once the quiet had settled, Gabriel crouched by his companion's hole, rumbling in assurance. "Tesk? The wind is gone. You can come out."

Orange and yellow eyes glinted back at him from the darkness. ""H'ko," Tesk hissed. "They'll come for me next. The screams, the screams," he moaned. "All dead. All gone. They'll come for me next. Hissing and skulking and shrieking. They are never gone. Never. Always waiting. Waiting in the darkness..."

He fell silent as the wind returned and Gabriel stood, cocking his head as the strange, sad song began again. It was all around them, but it wasn't coming from the trees, he realized. He looked around, spying a vine sprouting several large blossoms as it wound around the rough bark of a young tree. As he drew closer, several whistling sighs became more distinct. The wind gusted, shaking the flowers, the haunting moans growing louder for a moment.

Gabriel gently tore one of the flowers from the creeper vine and held it to the side of his head, marveling at hollow notes it produced. It reminded him of the sound a beer bottle made whenever Jeremy blew across the open top.

When the wind stopped he went to Tesk's hiding place, showing him the strange blossom. "It's the flowers. They have holes and the wind makes them sing."

Tesk growled softly. "I know what I saw. What I heard. I'm… I'm not…"

Crazy, Gabriel thought, finishing the sentence. He sighed and gently tucked the flower in his other pouch so it wouldn't get crushed. "Come on, Tesk. If we are slow, Sana will leave us. Tesk?" Gabriel squinted into hole. "Tesk?"

A hand grabbed him from behind and clamped over his mandibles, the other clamping onto his wrist before he could grab his dagger. Tesk's wheezy voice hissed in his ear. "Ssshhhh! They'll hear you. You follow me, Djesh. I know how to lose them."

His companion suddenly disappeared and Gabriel fell backwards. He rolled to his feet, muttering and clicking as he brushed off the dirt and leaves sticking to him. Tesk had already run ahead, dashing up the hill in a zigzag pattern, hiding under bushes and behind trees, scanning the canopy for some unseen enemy.

When they finally caught up to Sana he was in a surprisingly good mood. He waved Gabriel over next to the large, umbrella-like tree he was crouched under. He tapped the earth as Gabriel squatted next to him, drawing his attention to the tracks laid out along the damp earth.

"Is that a feyari?"

"Saa, it matches the information Sanja Ul'juska showed us a few days ago. Feyari have four legs and long toes and claws that cannot retract." He stood, brushing his claws along the torn tree trunk. "He was marking his territory." Sana leaned in and spread his mandibles, sniffing the bark. "It wasn't that long ago, a couple days maybe."

"Then we should follow," said Gabriel as he stood.

Sana's eyes narrowed and he growled a warning. "Watch it, Gesh. You speak out of turn."

Training told Gabriel to bow his head and acknowledge his superior, but Gabriel was getting tired of being bossed around and babysitting Tesk. He held his ground.

Sana continued to glare but said nothing.

The trio moved on, following the tracks through the misty forest. As evening fell, they chose their campsite in the branches of a large tree that bore deep scars at its base from the repeated marking of a male feyari. Its undulating bark corkscrewed as it rose into the sky, while its tentacle-like roots latched onto earth and and coiled about large stones. The tree's ribbed bark made climbing easy and they settled at the center of its spiraling thick limbs. Nearby, a shallow river murmured. Three grey boulders that bore the strange alien markings huddled together in the middle of the waterway. Over time, sand and dirt had built up around them, splitting the wide river and creating two small waterfalls the curved around either side. Other than a some insects and few manta-ray-like birds, there was little activity.

They ate a quick meal of several small rodents whose burrow Tesk had dug up. Gabriel stared into the creature's dead, beady eyes. He hated eating raw meat. Not because of the taste. Sure, it was slimy and full of small bones that liked to stab his throat and tongue when he wasn't careful, but he'd eaten raw meat before. No, he hated it because H'darak had forced him to eat raw meat. Period. No fruits, nothing cooked and God forbid you wanted anything green. He didn't even like green things, he thought irritably as he tried to decide where he wanted to take his first bite.

He sunk his fangs into the creatures innards, tearing out dripping hunks of bloody organs and muscles. He let his tongue roll around the soft flesh before swallowing it whole. The blood added an odd but pleasant tang. It was better than the dried rations on H'darak's ship at least.

Before he could take a second bite his sixth sense sent sharp prickles up his arms and neck. Gabriel looked up to see Tesk staring intently at him, much like a cat.

"What?"

Tesk grinned. "Can I have your tail?"

Gabriel looked down at his meal, the rodent's long tail swinging from side-to-side whenever he moved. When he looked up, Tesk was solely focused on the dangling appendage, his pupils slowly dilating.

"Sure…" Gabriel took out his knife and cut the tail at the base of the spine, making certain he gave it all to Tesk. Sana did the same to his rodent and Tesk disappeared over a limb with his prizes.

Gabriel listened to Tesk's trills of delight, a stream of unintelligible whispers rising and falling with the wind. Sana continued to eat.

"What's wrong with him?"

Sana ripped a leg off, nibbling at the plump meat around the thigh. "No one knows."

"Why is he obsessed with tails?"

Sana ripped off the other hind leg, examining it as he plucked off the skin and fur. "Some warriors collect skulls. Others prefer claws and horns. Tesk collects tails."

"But why?"

An annoyed rumbled crawled up his throat. "I don't know."

They continued eating in silence until each had made a small pile of bones and fur. The sun had set by then, the orange and crimson world giving way to soothing maroons and deep violets.

Long silences were not an unusual thing for Gabriel anymore. Yautja, he'd come to realize, preferred silence. It helped maintain discipline and respect, since they were predisposed for aggression. He wasn't sure if this was a cultural or a genetic trait. Other than Tesk, most of his kind that he'd encountered preferred action over words. If this were a typical hunt with H'darak, Gabriel wouldn't speak unless spoken to, which might be for days. But Sana was an unblood. An equal.

Gabriel held off as long as he could, his curiosity burning his lungs as he suppressed the urge to blurt out every question rattling around inside his skull.

"Whatever it is you want to ask, ask," grumbled Sana. He was leaning against the base of a branch, arms crossed and eyes closed. Gabriel had thought he was asleep.

"How do you know I have question?"

"I can smell it."

Gabriel snorted. "Really?"

Sana cracked an eye open. He slowly sat up, a smirk pricking at his mandibles. "You actually believed that?"

"H'ko." Yes. And from the way Sana was almost smiling, Gabriel guessed he'd fallen for a fairly obvious joke.

He huffed. "Sure. And it's 'had a question' not 'have question.'"

Gabriel frowned and quickly tried to steer the conversation away from himself and his language skills. "What clan are you from?"

The flicker of levity vanished from Sana's face. "The Howling Skulls."

When no further explanation was offered, Gabriel tried a different route. "What's your favorite weapon?"

"I am proficient in all weapons."

"But if you only can choose one?"

"'But if you could only choose one.' And to answer your question, I would choose the weapon that best suited the situation."

Gabriel frowned.

"You don't like my answers."

Gabriel rubbed the back of his neck. "H'ko, they're... fine."

Sana stared at him, his crimson eyes shining in the darkness. "Then I have a question for you. Why did an arbiter bring you here?"

"H'darak was my… sanja." Gabriel swallowed. He'd been warned about revealing too much of his past. Not that he needed the warning. And he didn't know much anyway.

"Why didn't you attend your clan's training academy?"

"I am an…" What was the word for orphan? "Parents dead."

"But your relatives could care for you."

"I don't have any." Half-true. He probably did have extended family, but he doubted they even knew he existed. Or wanted him for that matter.

Sana clicked, cocking his head as he continued to stare intently. "I see… your father raped your mother and she abandoned you out of shame."

Gabriel growled. "That's not true." But it might be. He wanted to believe his parents cared about each other the same way his human parents did. He wanted to believe that, but doubts always crept in and there was no way to deny them. What if his father had kidnapped his mother? What if he'd raped her and she'd carried a baby she didn't want?

"No one is brought to a low-ranking sanja, especially Ul'juska, unless your parent or clan has brought them dishonor. Anu and Koru are the oldest males in their clan, the rest wiped out in botched hunt because they let the kaide sjei'adha spread too quickly and the pilot, who was supposed to pick them up, crashed the ship because he was drunk. Tesk has no clan. Yun and Zash pulled a prank that accidentally got their sister killed. Rytha is half-Hish." He growled, baring his fangs. "I could go on."

"What about you?"

Sana looked away. "What about me?"

"How did you… come here?

His skin slowly grew brighter as anger flushed his chest and face. "I was born."

Before Gabriel could ask what he meant, Tesk dropped in between them. He was clicking and twitching excitement, waving his hands wildly.

Gabriel grabbed his arms and turned him towards him. "Tesk, calm down. What is it?"

"I found one-!"

Sana clamped a hand around his throat from behind, growling a warning. "Quiet," he hissed.

Tesk's voice dropped to a whisper, but his excitement still shone in his bright eyes. "I saw it, Hesh. I saw it. It's here."

"What? Saw what?" asked Gabriel, hoping this wasn't another deranged illusion.

He chirped excitedly. "The feyari. It's tail is so beautif- augh!"

Gabriel and Sana pushed past Tesk and scrambled across the large limbs as quickly and as silently as they could. They both spotted it at the same time, its glowing body a bright flame against the cool earth. It was sniffing something on the ground, something dead judging by the smell.

Tesk suddenly appeared beside Gabriel, a smug grin spreading his mandibles. "I knew it would work."

"What?"

"After I dug up the nest and killed our food, I left one by the river. I knew he would smell it," he chittered. His eyes started to glaze over. "Look at it, rolling all over the body. He thinks he claims it, but it is mine. Mine, all mine..."

Gabriel let Tesk to mutter to himself. The feyari was incredibly captivating. Long, elegant legs, perfect for bursts of lightning speed and jumping great distances, supported a muscular torso covered in golden-orange fur. It sported a thick, silky mane, the crimson fur extending from the crest of its head to its shoulders and down its back. Three-inch-long talons rolled the carcass around, the male cautiously inspecting it. When it was satisfied, it clamped the body down with its black, raptor-like feet and began to tear off the skin. Sharp fangs extended from its long snout and it ripped into the dead creature with ease. The creature's black head was furless, creating the impression that its head was charred, skinless skull with luminous violet eyes. Its tail - and Gabriel had to agree that it was beautiful - swished behind it, the golden, whip-like appendage ending in a stream of bright, red hair.

The feyari reminded Gabriel of a lonma. Although not as large, he sensed a similar aura of dignity and ferocity. Taking this animal down would not be easy.

He caught Sana's eye and his companion signaled for him to regroup. They met at the center of the tree, leaving Tesk to his own devices.

"What now?" whispered Gabriel.

Sana smirked. "Are you ready to follow my lead?"

"You know more about them than I do."

Sana nodded. "True." He shifted to hunt signs, laying out a simple plan. He would circle around to the other side of the river. After several minutes, Gabriel would go down and flush the feyari out into the open across the river towards him. Although Sana would get the kill, Gabriel didn't argue. He needed an ally more than he needed a trophy.

They split, Sana disappearing down the back side of the tree, while Gabriel kept an eye on their prey. When Sana's faint lifeheat appeared on the other side of the river, he leapt into action.

With a howling roar, he landed on all fours, ripping out his half-spear as he stood to challenge the feyari. The creature, startled and faced with an unknown enemy, quickly backed away. The male's mane stood on end, making him look twice as big. He growled, letting loose several sharp warbles that carried for kilometers around.

Gabriel charged, roaring and swinging his spear. The feyari quickly abandoned the kill, bolting halfway across the river, keeping Gabriel in its sights as it retreated.

A flash of silver glinted in the starlight.

The feyari let loose a howl of pain before it collapsed to its side, a spear jutting through its side. Warm blood seeped into the slow-moving current as it fought to stand. Sana broke from the cover of the bank and waded into the water. Despite its lethal injuries, the creature fought back. The male thrashed, clawing and lashing at his attacker with his sharp talons and long tail. Sana grabbed his spear and ripped it out, the feyari shrieking in agony. He quickly grabbed it by its wet mane, jerking its head back and slitting its throat.

Bright blood oozed from the fatal cut.

The thrill of triumph quickly ended as Gabriel watched the light fade from the male feyari's eyes. The sadness that had haunted him since he'd arrived on this world returned.

Sana dragged its limp body onto the shore, rumbling in satisfaction as he examined it. "It put up a good fight. It even managed to cut me a few times."

Gabriel smelled his blood, noticing several deep cuts running along Sana's shins and forearms, but nothing lethal.

"At this rate, maybe even you can kill one before we leave, Gesh."

Gabriel sighed. "Maybe."

Sana frowned and stood. "What?"

"Nothing." Guilt gnawed at him. On Navarra this would've been illegal. Unless an animal population was out of control or a predator attacked a human, there was no reason to hunt them down. When he'd hunted with H'darak, it had been for food or justice, the korvakra they'd hunted bloodthirsty killers. But this… what was the point?

Sana's reply was cut off as a snarling feyari bit into his arm and dragged him down. Another feyari howled as it sprang from the bushes and Gabriel whirled, shielding himself with his arm. The mysterious metal disc attached to his forearm whirred, serrated flaps flaring just before the gaping jaws of the feyari reached him. The creature smashed into the shield and fell to the ground, stunned. Gabriel stabbed it in the side with his spear, the feyari whimpering as it drowned in its own blood.

When he turned around, Sana had gained the upperhand, pinning the feyari with his body. He plunged his knife into the snarling creature's chest and dragged it down, ripping open its stomach and intestines. Deep scratches covered his arms and chest and he was covered in blood. He picked up his spear and staggered to his feet. "Cjit, that was close…"

"Sana!" Gabriel caught him as he fell forward.

He groaned, gurgling something. Gabriel strained to keep him on his feet, Sana nearly limp in his arms. Warbling howls filled the air as more feyari closed in, the scent of their brethren's blood stirring them into a vengeful frenzy.

Gabriel hooked an arm under Sana's shoulder and carried him towards the spiral tree. "Tesk!" The bushes around them hissed as the feyari slipped through them, Gabriel catching glimpses of violet eyes and crimson tufts in the darkness as they began to surround them. Their snarls and howls filled the air as they closed in. "Tesk, we could really use your help!"

Then Sana went completely limp, dragging Gabriel to his knees. They were at the base of the tree, surrounded by thick, mossy roots and stones. Despite the lighter gravity, he wasn't strong enough to haul Sana's deadweight up the tree.

Sensing their struggle, a dozen feyari poured from the undergrowth, clambering over and slinking under the twisted roots with predatory grace, hooting and howling. Gabriel shoved Sana into a corner and unsheathed his spear, holding his shield at the ready. He roared, challenging them to take him on. The feyari darted in and out, testing his defenses. Gabriel snarled, lunging at any who dared to get too close. Three feyari males, each sporting thick, crimson manes, raced up the middle, the maneless females giving way.

Gabriel bashed the first aside, the creature's howl cut off as it smashed into a boulder. He lunged at the second, his spear piercing the feyari's open jaws and skewering him. The third male dodged his companion's lifeless body as Gabriel retracted his weapon, pouncing on him before he could react. He roared as the creature's razor sharp claws buried into his flesh and dragged him to the ground. They thrashed and clawed at each other, Gabriel bashing it in the ribs and head with his shield. The feyari snarled, snapping at his face and neck. His claws caught Gabriel's face leaving him stunned with pain for a moment. Seeing his chance, the male sunk his fangs into his shoulder.

Blood sprayed across Gabriel's face as the feyari's head separated from its body. A whooping howl filled the air and Tesk bounded over him, flinging razor disks at the pack. Their snarls of hate quickly morphed into howls of pain.

Gabriel shoved the dead feyari off of himself, scrambling to his feet to help drive the remaining animals off. The world spun and Gabriel swayed, suddenly feeling incredibly light headed. He leaned against a giant root, watching Tesk chase after the fleeing pack. An aching exhaustion filled him. His chest felt tight. Breathing hurt. "Te… Tesk…"

Gabriel slammed into the ground and the world went black.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Review please!

Also, what kind of story background do you want me to post on my profile? What do you think of Gabriel's new pack brothers? Why is Tesk obsessed with tails?!


	5. What's in a Name?

**Sanja**

Draktha - DRAAK-thah - Sharp Blade

**Taun'gra**

kalei - kah-LEH - whore

sivkna - SVICK-nah - type of alcohol

suyet'de c'jit - SOO-yeht-deh kih-JIHT - worthless coward

taun'gra - TAWN-grah - true words

* * *

**What's in a Name?**

* * *

Warm emberlight greeted his half-open eyes, the ribbed walls of the ship slowly coming into focus. The sharp scent of anesthetics stirred him completely awake and Gabriel sat up, blinking as his tired eyes adjusted to the light.

Sana stood over his bed, glaring at him. "Feeling better?"

"Saa–"

Pain cut off his response as Sana's fist connected with his jaw. Sparks danced across his vision and the scent of blood filled his mouth.

Sana grabbed him by the throat, snarling. "How dare you save me! I ought to kill you right now, you son of a kalei–"

Gabriel's fist smashed into the side of his face, knocking him against the wall. Before he could move, Gabriel launched himself from the bed, roaring as he grabbed Sana and slammed him into the floor.

The commotion woke Lorka and he sat up, watching the two brawl with mild interest. At least he wasn't the only one who'd ended up in the healing lab, he thought, noting Koru was also here as well. The youth was sprawled face down on his slab, one arm hanging off. Dead to the world. He continued snoring though the fight without so much as a single twitch.

Lorka barked in surprise as Gesh came crashing against his raised slab, catching him right before they collided.

Gabriel pushed off and spun, ducking Sana's kick and wrapping his arms underneath his leg and around his waist. With a great heave, he lifted Sana in the air and slammed him on the ground. They wrestled, rolling around on the floor as each tried to gain the upper hand.

"Sana! Gesh!"

Both instantly untangled and scrambled to their feet, blood trickling down their faces and bodies from old and new wounds.

Ul'juska glared at them from the doorway.

"Sanja, I can explain. I–"

"Silence!"

Sana bowed his head, clenching his trembling fists.

"Is this the kasenja?"

"H'ko," they answered.

"Did I give permission for you to challenge another threiyan?"

"H'ko."

"Then get out of my sight before I have to kill you."

Heads bowed, the pair ducked out of the room.

Once in the hall, Sana grab Gabriel's shoulder and shoved him against the wall, pinning him against it with his forearm. "Why?" he hissed. "Why did you do it? Do you enjoy adding to my shame?"

Gabriel growled but didn't move. "It was not my intent to dishonor you."

Sana snarled, releasing him and pacing from side-to-side, his fists twitching with the urge to strike him again.

"What should I have done? Leave you?"

"Saa!"

"Then I would dishonor myself!"

Sana paused, taken aback. "What do you mean?"

Gabriel was so angry he struggled to find the right words. "Only cowards... abandon hunt brothers to save himself. Better I die… by your side... than live a hundred years with great shame."

Unconsciously, Sana took a step back, the intensity in Gesh's golden eyes palpable. He was serious. The fool actually believed such words. Sana glared, anger flaring inside of him. It didn't make any sense. Why would someone save another if they were unworthy or weak? Weakness was a sin. Therefore, the strong shunned weakness. Not the other way around.

A low growl interrupted the moment and both turned to see Ul'juska watching them. "Get to the kasenja. It is time for the hunt review."

The pair filed passed him, Gesh following Sana's lead.

Athende stared after them, Gesh's words ringing in his ears. He'd heard something eerily similar long ago. Bitterness filled him at the memory of his old master. Damn you, Draktha. Has your poison taken root in my brother's son as well?

* * *

**~\'/~**

* * *

Most were already in the training room when Gesh and Sana arrived. As soon as they entered, all heads swiveled in their direction, conversation dying off as everyone huffed the air. The scent of fresh blood stirred them, but none made a move.

The room was laid out in a wide octagon, the smooth walls bereft of the inner lighting of the medi-lab he'd woken up in. There were four doors and from what Gabriel understood of the layout of the ship, he'd come from the west or port side of the vessel. The walls between the doors were paneled, but for now they were sealed. If he had to guess, there were probably weapons inside of them.

Without a word, Sana stalked off to a corner to brood, leaving Gabriel to his own devices.

He slowly entered the room, getting to know each threiyan's scent. It told him who was strong, their mood and even what they'd had to eat that morning. None however, smelled friendly.

A tall yautja with long hair and handsome face suddenly approached him. "You there, Gesh."

Gabriel paused, his shoulders tensing as he braced himself for a possible confrontation.

The male laid a fist over his heart and gave a slight bow. "I am Anu, son of the Ghost Blades. You came from the infirmary, did you not?"

The sudden courtesy caught Gabriel off guard. Most yautja either growled at him or tried to choke him to death when he first met them. "Uh… saa," he replied.

A flash of annoyance crossed Anu's face and Gabriel realized he hadn't bowed or even greeted him properly. The male stood arrow straight, placing his hands behind his back. "Did you happen to see a young threiyan in there? He has stripes and short hair."

Gabriel thought for a moment. Lorka had been the big guy watching them so it must have been the guy snoring in the corner. "Um… saa. He is sleeping. What's his name…?"

"Koru," came the terse reply. Anu spun on his heel and left, leaving Gabriel feeling like the rudest asshole in existence.

Gabriel rubbed his neck, suddenly feeling tired. All the rules and protocols he'd learned over the past several cycles had suddenly deserted him. He'd somehow managed to offend half of the other threiyan just by talking to them for a few moments. He decided he should go claim a corner of his own before someone else tried to talk to hi-

"Hey, Gesh.'

Crap.

Gabriel turned around, his hackles rising as the largest of the unblooded strode towards him, a malevolent gleam shining from his vermilion eyes. His mandibles were pulled back in a smug grin, his intent loud and clear. The stench of aggression began to fill the air and the other males cleared the center of the room, watching the pair with avid interest.

Skarn.

The male was a head taller than him, with an ego to match. Scars criss-crossed his dark, coffee-colored skin, a few appearing to be self-inflicted, the parallel lines running across his left forearm and bicep. He stopped three paces away, rumbling in amusement.

"What's so funny?" Gabriel growled, trying to calm his thundering hearts.

"Isn't it obvious? You." Skarn chuckled. "What kind of a name is Gesh, anyway?"

The words left Gabriel's mouth before he could think and he instantly regretted them. "What kind of a name is Skarn? What's it stand for? Sekfet?"

Chitters and hoots filled the air and Skarn's smile fell away. "You… just made a big mistake."

The room erupted as he charged, Gabriel barely dodging the first swing. The next swing grazed the tip of his mandible. Gabriel caught the third and redirected the strike, using Skarn's overbearing momentum to throw him. The male easily rolled to his feet, but it hadn't meant to hurt him, just give Gabriel enough time to put some distance between them. Skarn roared and charged, Gabriel ducking and bolting to the side. He blocked Skarn's powerful kick with his arms, then grabbed it, twisting it to force Skarn onto the ground. But instead of resisting, the dark-skinned male twisted his body and pushed off the ground, his other foot connecting with Gabriel's jaw and knocking him to the floor. Skarn was on him in an instant. He shoved Gabriel into the ground before he could roll onto his back, then looped an arm around his throat, suffocating him. Gabriel bucked and struggled but larger male maintained his tight grip, slowly crushing his windpipe. Desperation began to fill Gabriel as his chest started to burn. Dark spots danced across his vision and his hearts began to slow. Panic set in when Skarn's hold didn't loosen. Was he actually going to kill him!?

A thunderous roar shook the room and Skarn's hold slackened, allowing Gabriel to breath. He coughed, heaving several deep breaths.

A shadow fell over him and he looked up to see Ul'juska glaring down at him. "Get up."

Gabriel and Skarn stood, both growling as they backed several paces away from the other.

"Has the feyari's venom clouded everyone's heads? No one challenges each other unless I approve it," he snarled menacingly. "Understood?"

The savage beast inside howled for vengeance, hot blood still pumping through Gabriel's veins. Instead he bit his tongue and bowed his head.

"Skarn?"

The unblood dared to glare at his master for a half-second before he too bowed in acknowledgement.

Ul'juska grunted. "Good. Now join the others on the floor."

Gabriel and Skarn stalked off to opposite sides of the room. With a quiet huff, Gabriel sat, crossing his legs and arms. A part of him raged at Skarn and wanted to challenge him as soon as he got the chance. Arrogant bastard. Suyet'de c'jit. Gabriel cursed him in both Taun'gra and English until he ran out of words.

Then the guilt hit him. He'd nearly died. Twice. Not including what happened over a week ago on the homeworld. He'd made a promise to Rin. He'd swore he'd come back in three years. How could he take such stupid risks? The thought of Rin sent a pang of longing through Gabriel and he tried to focus on the present as Ul'juska set up the holo-projector. Now wasn't the time.

A quiet snicker sounded next to him, distracting Gabriel from his morose thoughts. He clicked in surprise. "Tesk, where have you been?"

His orange and yellow eyes twinkled with mischief even as he shrugged his pale shoulders. "Here and there."

Gabriel huffed and propped his chin on his fist. "Well, I hope your day was better than mine."

"They hate you because you forgot their names."

"Huh?"

"Names are important, Vesh. 'If you don't acknowledge a person's name, then you don't acknowledge the person at all.'"

Gabriel sat up, the very first lessons the AI had taught him returning. No wonder Anu had looked so pissed. And then he'd insulted Skarn's name. He groaned softly and buried his face in a hand. "I am such an idiot."

Tesk patted him on the back. "No worries. Not everyone can be as intelligent as I am, Vesh."

Gabriel smiled and sat up straighter. He didn't know if Tesk was joking or not but at least there was one person on the ship that didn't want to kill him.

The overhead lights dimmed and everyone quieted as they focused their attention on the large hologram floating above the small pillar that had risen from the floor. Gabriel quickly glanced around, noting that Koru and Lorka were there as well. The yawning youngster from the medi-lab was seated next the straight-back Anu, while Lorka had chosen to join the taciturn Rytha. Kachente and Aish'katal stood at the head of the room with Ul'juska, both scanning the group while their master spoke.

"I'm sure you've all realized by now, some of you more than others, that I left out a crucial detail during the hunt briefing several days ago." An image of a male and female feyari appeared, along with information about weight, height, speed, strength and other data. "What I did not tell you was that the feyari's bite was poisonous. Why? Why would I leave such important information out of a briefing when it might cost you your life?"

Gabriel carefully glanced around at the other threiyan, curious as to how students were supposed to answer a teacher's questions. Ul'juska gave them a long time and finally Lorka, with head bowed, raised his hand.

Ul'juska nodded. "Lorka?"

"On some hunts we may not have all the information about our prey or the planet at our disposal. We may also be given false intelligence through hearsay or legend."

"Which means?"

"That we should research for ourselves and observe our prey's habits and behaviors carefully before striking."

Ul'juska rumbled in approval and Gabriel had to admit Lorka's answer had impressed him as well. He'd been bitten by the feyari but had the guts to acknowledge his mistake.

"Well said. It was also for this reason that I limited your use of technology. Masks can break and wrist consoles become damaged. Without them you must rely on your senses." He waved his hand and three vids appeared in place of the feyari, each following the three groups as they searched and hunted the for their quarry. Ul'juska then revealed that he and his two acolytes had followed the groups, watching them during their hunt and calling in the ship when one of them was bitten. He went through each group's decisions and techniques, breaking down their battles with the feyari step-by-step. He praised what was done well and critiqued what was executed poorly.

Like Gabriel's group, each had experienced tension as they tried to establish a hierarchy. Group One had been filled with the strongest males and they had struggled with determining who should be the dominant leader. This clash left them fractured when they took on a large pack of feyari, each doing what he thought best. Group Two had been controlled by the twins, Yun and Zash, but their constant bickering and poor communication to the other two in their group had nearly cost Koru his life.

Uneasiness filled Gabriel as Ul'juska went over his group's actions. The other unbloods chuckled at Tesk's antics. Gabriel and Sana's standoff was shown, but it was relatively mild compared to the other groups. He was thankful there was no sound and that his conversation with Sana in the tree had been skipped. Ul'juska praised their group's cooperation but criticized their lack of awareness. He also admonished Tesk about wandering off.

Gabriel looked over at his companion, who had a dreamy look on his face. He wasn't sure Tesk had heard Ul'juska, but nobody seemed to care so he didn't disturb him.

Once the lesson was over, everyone filed into the trophy room to clean their trophies, each person having access to his own workbench. The bodies had already been processed for their meat, skin and bones, which they would use to eat and trade with other ships and the homeworld.

Gabriel sat next to Sana and Tesk, the trio working in silence as they cleaned their skulls, or in Tesk's case, tails.

There'd always been a disturbing intimacy Gabriel felt whenever he cleaned a skull. The feyari's hollow sockets stared up at him, the echoes of life it once held judging him. He tried to ignore it and treat it like one of the hundreds of others kills he'd made.

Cleaning didn't take long, the laser tools making quick work of whatever flesh remained. He set his two skulls next to each other, the male feyari's slightly larger than the female. Even in death their gleaming white teeth snarled at him, their poisonous fangs hidden in the roofs of their mouths.

Movement and growls stirred him from his reverie and Gabriel grabbed the grinning pair, following the other threiyan into the storage room nearby. They were unbloods so they had to share what little space was granted. The constant growling, shoving and glaring grated Gabriel's nerves and he deposited his trophies quickly and returned to the cleaning room.

Suddenly, his stomach gurgled in pain, twisting into painful, empty knots. God, it felt like he hadn't eaten in days.

While the other threiyan traded stories about the skulls they'd earned, each more outlandish than the last, Gabriel headed for the dining hall. Although he'd never been there, the mouthwatering smells drifting through the halls served as his guide and in no time Gabriel arrived, his stomach carrying on a one-sided conversation the whole way.

He huffed several deep breaths, rumbling in anticipation as he drifted over to where the food lay sizzling softly on warm metal grills at the center of the long table that sat low to the floor. His stomach moaned and Gabriel growled at it to be quiet. As tempted as he was to steal a bite, the rules were clear: the leader got first dibs. H'darak had always eaten whatever animal they'd killed first, Gabriel joining in after a few bites.

He sighed and chose to sit at the end. As the newest unblood and probably least liked, this was most likely his seat. He didn't want to add the embarrassment of being kicked out of the wrong seat to today's list of social missteps.

A soft trill let him know he was not alone.

"Hungry, huh?"

Gabriel nodded, folding his arms on the table to keep from clutching his simmering stomach.

Aish'katal smiled as he dumped a pile of meat at the far end of the table where Ul'juska would sit, the steaming mound slowly turning into a pale golden glow.

Gabriel swallowed the drool that had pooled in his mouth.

"Gesh, right?" asked the midnight brown yautja.

Gabriel nodded again. "You're uh… um…" Indecision paralyzed him. He had two guesses. He guessed wrong, he insulted him. He said nothing, he insulted him.

The threita saved him the embarrassment. "Aish'katal. But most call me Aishka."

"Aishka," Gabriel echoed. In that moment, he knew he'd found another person whom he could trust. He decided to ask the question that had been niggling in the back of his head for the past few hours. "How long was I unconscious?"

Aishka set the bowl aside, thinking. "Let's see… you and Sana were the first to get bitten. So that was about three days ago." He huffed. "No wonder you're here first. I would be too."

Shouts and growls echoed down the hallway and Gabriel smelled the eager scent of his pack brothers racing for their meal. Inwardly, he sighed. The peace was too good to last.

"Here comes the horde," said Aishka with a grin.

Gabriel smothered his smile and looked away as Skarn and the twins burst in, the identical duo fighting over who would sit closest to Skarn and therefore Ul'juska. Anu and Koru were the next to enter, but to Gabriel's surprise, Anu chose a place closer to the end on the opposite side of the table. The handsome male gave Gabriel a cold stare, and guilt and frustration briefly replaced his gnawing hunger. Lorka and Rytha entered right after and took the two places closest to the head of the table next to the glaring Anu and grinning Koru. Tesk suddenly skittered into place across the table from Gabriel, the skinny male bouncing and twitching as his wide eyes consumed the food in front of him. But even he respected the unspoken rules. Sana slipped in between Gabriel and Zash, who'd lost out to Yun.

Neither Sana nor Gabriel looked at each other. Gabriel could practically feel the other's disdain at being forced to sit next to him.

Then Sana's stomach growled. Loudly.

Gabriel choked back a smile, remembering that Sana had been bitten right before him, which meant he was just as hungry.

"Shut up, Gesh," hissed Sana.

As if sensing the challenge, Gabriel's stomach growled back a response.

Tesk grinned at the two of them, excitement coloring his pale skin. Who knew what he was imagining.

"I think my stomach just challenged your stomach to a duel," Gabriel whispered.

Sana snorted, but his reply was cut off as all conversation died at once. Ul'juska stood at the head of the room, Kachente on his right and Aishka on his left. With a practiced grace that was now second nature, the trio sat.

Ul'juska reached for the bleeding meat, taking his time before he swallowed each piece. After the third, Kachente and Aishka both began to eat. When they'd taken their second bite, Ul'juska raised his arm and flicked his hand up, the signal for the feeding frenzy to begin. Gabriel and Sana dug their shoulders and elbows into each other as they grabbed fistfuls of tender flesh and shoved it down their throats, snarling and growling whenever they thought the other was getting to close to "their side" of the meat pile.

Tesk grabbed several pieces and ducked out of the room , his greasy prize clutched to his chest.

When the melee eventually settled, Gabriel took a moment to observe the other unbloods while he slowly gnawed on a lightly crisp morsel. Anu ate his meal slowly, Koru copying his dignified mannerisms gesture for gesture. Rytha ripped into his pieces with an intensity that surprised Gabriel, while Lorka had a staring and eating contest with Skarn.

Ul'juska and the threita didn't acknowledge the mad scramble around them, the three of them taking their time and rumbling quietly to each other.

The meal was finished off with large jugs containing a very strong, bitter liquid that burned Gabriel's throat and he inhaled it in less than a minute. He gasped as he set his empty drink down, the warm liquid filling in the last empty spaces inside his stomach. His skin and fingers began to tingle and the room spun slightly. Gabriel felt light headed as he turned to look at Sana, who was still sipping his drink.

"Hey, Sana," he slurred. "What's in the drink?"

His companion raised an eyebrow at him. "What did you say?"

Gabriel took a deep breath, blinking as he tried to focus. He wasn't sure, but he may have just spoken English.

"I said, what's in the drink?"

"It's called sivk'na." He suddenly noticed Gabriel's empty jug. "You didn't drink all of it at once, did you?"

Gabriel chuckled and lounged against the tabletop, suddenly feeling better than he had in weeks, maybe months.

Crimson bled into sunny yellows and salamander oranges, the menagerie of color swirling around him. The scent of fresh water lured him from the protective blanket of warmth and Gabriel found himself wading across a slow-moving river.

Snarling howls suddenly filled the air and all around him the glowing eyes of a hundred feyari raced towards him. Gabriel stumbled as he ran, the water clinging to his legs like black syrup. He couldn't smell anything as crawled onto the shore and he desperately searched for his weapons. His body felt weak and panic began to set in as the howling pack closed in. He crawled, clawing his way across the ground, determined not to die here. He found a tree and climbed, pausing when he was halfway up as a voice cried out to him.

A dark figure limped across the river, bright, white blood gushing from a wound in his throat and hollow eye sockets.

Stripes. He was alive.

Gabriel clambered up the tree and clung to a branch, exhaustion weighing him down. He felt twice as heavy and somehow he knew the world's gravity was trying to drag him to the ground.

Stripes had made it to the shore, dragging something behind him.

Horror and nausea filled Gabriel when it he realized it was the shredded pile of Nakande, still trapped inside the silver net he'd died in.

Stripes called out, snarling and moaning as he slashing the air with his knife. He clawed at the tree Gabriel hid in, unable to climb, refusing to let go of Nakande.

The feyari screeched and howled, bursting from the undergrowth. Rotted skeletons, empty eye sockets and razor sharp grins swarmed Stripes, ripping him limb from limb, white, hot blood spraying the air. Obscene amounts gushed across the ground and arched through the air, the hot, sticky liquid spraying Gabriel and completely soaking him. Beneath the mound of roiling bone and fiery tails, Stripes' hand burst forth, his screaming pleas for help seared into Gabriel's skull.

The bloodthirsty horde sunk into the ground, dragging him into the void.

The black hole swirled, roaring as it sucked away color, light and sound.

Slick blood coated his hands and the tree limb and Gabriel lost his grip, tumbling into the ravenous mouth of the dark monster.

* * *

**~\'/~**

* * *

With a shuddering gasp, Gabriel awoke, his hearts thundering inside his chest. It was just a dream, he realized as he stared up at the ceiling. Just a dream.

Quiet snores and low rumbles sounded around him and the scent of the other threiyan filled his mouth. He sat up and looked around, wondering how he'd gotten here.

Like H'darak's ship, the beds were little more than metal slabs covered in whatever material was available. Unlike his ship, the slabs were arranged in bunks. Gabriel swung his legs over the edge, grateful he was on the lower bunk. A dull ache throbbed across the front and back of his head and he suddenly felt exhausted. But he couldn't sleep. Not after that nightmare. If he fell asleep now, he might continue where he'd left off.

Quietly, Gabriel slipped out of the unblooded's sleeping quarters, silently wandering the ship.

This was the third time he'd dreamed about the yautja he knew only as Stripes. Gabriel had never learned his name but he would never forget his face. The rage at the death of his comrade. The pain as Gabriel stabbed his throat. The light leaving his eyes as death consumed him.

Gabriel had killed others of his kind on hunts with H'darak. All murderers and criminals of the worst sort. But his kills had always come from far away, H'darak preferring to snipe them rather than risk face-to-face conflict. There had been only one time that H'darak had left without his plasma rifle, ordering Gabriel to remain on the ship. He'd killed the korvakra with his own hands. Gabriel had never asked what had happened and H'darak had never explained.

Now he understood. Taking someone's life in such an intimate way…

A soft hiss interrupted his thoughts and Gabriel's senses blazed to life, the dim corridors instantly brightening as his pupils dilated.

"Who's there?" he growled.

Only the silence answered and after several minutes of waiting and watching, Gabriel settled, the crimson hall slowly turning a soft maroon. He continued to wander, memorizing the layout of the ship, eventually stumbling upon a side room with several consoles resembling the one he'd spent so many hours in front of on H'darak's ship. The atmosphere was less menacing, but the sleek computers were identical. He tapped his foot on the floor in front of one machines, smiling and shaking his head as a flat-topped cylinder rose from the ground.

Gabriel sat and drew his claw across the dashboard, the computer whirring to life. He searched for the specific program, the avatar's file buried beneath a mountain of data regarding planetary systems and a surprising amount of porn. Temptation tugged at his fingertips to enlarge one of the enticing images writhing in the corner of his screen when his dreadlocks prickled in warning.

Tesk, half-hidden behind the door frame, stared at him with a strange mixture of fear and resignation.

"Tesk, what are you doing?" Gabriel quickly dismissed the tempting vids and continued his search, embarrassment flushing his forehead.

"You couldn't sleep?"

"Saa."

"I couldn't sleep either," said Tesk as he shuffled in, his bleary eyes scanning the room. Limp arms hung from sagging shoulders, swaying in time with his staggered steps. "I haven't slept in a long time."

Gabriel paused, concern filling him. Something was wrong. Tesk wasn't his usual, whimsical self. "When did you last sleep?"

Tesk cocked his head, sighing. "When? Let's see… maybe… ten years?"

"Ten years!?" Surely he was joking. But the more Gabriel studied the bags under his eyes, his weak body and strange smell, the more plausible the explanation seemed. If Tesk really suffered from insomnia, that could explain his hallucinations and constant daydreaming. "Why can you not sleep?"

Tesk shook his head, chuckling. "It's not a matter of 'can't', Nesh. It's a matter of 'won't.' Why won't I sleep?"

"Well... why won't you sleep?"

"Because…" Tesk's eyes suddenly gleamed with a familiar mad light, but there was an intensity that burned inside them that Gabriel had not seen before. "Of the monsters."

"The monsters?"

"Saa. They are coming. Soon. For all of us." The light died in his eyes and Tesk crawled on top of one of the computers across from Gabriel.

Gabriel stared at him, unsure of what to say. He recalled Tesk's wails of horror several days ago during their hunt for the feyari. He'd mentioned people screaming and something waiting in the darkness. Did he mean the monsters?

He decided to ask someone about it later. Tesk seemed like he was done talking.

Gabriel pulled up the text he'd been looking for, refreshing his memory and practicing his reading and writing skills as he copied the words. He resolved to improve his relationship with his pack brothers and do better tomorrow.


	6. Fear Itself

**Author's Note:**

I've run out of background lore to post on my profile, so I've decided to post the individual character bios I made back when I first started drafting and writing Path of the Spear. They helped me distinguish each character and also functioned as a cheat sheet while writing, something I recommend if you have a lot of characters to keep track of.

Also, thank you for all the reviews so far! I always enjoy hearing people's opinions.

**Characters**

Kaya - KAI-yah

Xanadi - zah-NAH-dee - Bright Star

**Taun'gra**

aseinan - ah-SEI-nahn - slave, lit. "of nothing"

c'sekjit - KIH-seck-jiht - equivalent to bullshit

h'kelak - hih-KEH-laak - lazy, good-for-nothing

huunan'de - hoo-nahn-dei - plural of huunan

giyat - gih-YAAT - expression of disgust or surprise, no literal meaning

j'kaiye - jih-KAI-yeh - later (slang), lit. till we meet (again)

sejak'narat - seh-JAHK-nah-RAHT - art of the sword

* * *

**Fear Itself**

* * *

The kasenja reverberated with the muted thunder of punches and kicks, the humid air made all the more thicker by the sweat dripping from the unblooded's muscled bodies. The flexible training platform shuddered each time their torsos slammed into the ground, an endless cacophony of concentrated grunts and breathy rasps adding to the rumbling din.

Gabriel practiced his grappling and defensive skills with Koru, each practicing holds and how to redirect strikes to your advantage, particularly if your opponent had a weapon and you did not.

What the younger yautja lacked in experience he made up for in energy, eager to prove himself to his older pack brothers and sanja, who'd been observing them all morning. Gabriel grunted as the growling youngster slammed into him, his clawed toes nearly digging into the floor. He broke Koru's grip, grabbed his arm and twisted it, forcing him to the ground. If this had been a real fight, Gabriel could have easily broken it. He let him stand, the two squaring off again.

Hours later, after Ul'juska had drilled everyone to exhaustion and given them scraps that could barely be called a meal, Gabriel tried to enjoy the weekly hot shower they were allotted. The scalding water sprayed his scalp and dripped over his sore arms and swollen legs, a soft groan curling in his throat at the sensation. With a sharp click the water turned off and he quickly grabbed the "soap" — he assumed the blob of gel was soap — and quickly lathered himself. A minute later the water spurted back on, dousing him in a final round of warm water that never lasted long enough.

Tired and wet, Gabriel slid out from the claustrophobic shower closet, nodding to Sana as he stepped in and took his turn. Gabriel tried not to let his exhaustion or inexperience show but some days it was hard not to. Ul'juska's training was different from H'darak's — new techniques, more opponents and "pain" training, where you had to endure being punched and kicked by several other students in a row without blocking. Even Koru had fared better than he had on those days. And on top of the intense, non-stop training, Ul'juska only let them sleep six to seven hours. As much as Gabriel disliked H'darak's teaching style, at least he'd let him sleep the normal nine to 10 hours most days. Even though he'd endured shorter nights on Navarra, at least there'd been coffee. Dark, delicious coffee. He'd kill for some right now.

"Gesh."

He turned, surprised to find Aishka in this part of the ship. "Aishka?"

"Dry off and get dressed. Sanja Ul'juska wishes to speak with you. Now. Meet him in the kasenja."

Gabriel bowed his head slightly, swallowing the urge to ask why he was being summoned. He hurried to his bunk, drying himself with his bed covering before slipping on his cod piece and loincloth. As he made his way back, he wondered what he'd done wrong. Had he been too slow? Maybe he'd noticed him going easy on Koru. He braced himself, sealing away his anxiety as he entered to kasenja, stopping just short of the platform. Ul'juska stood directly in the middle, a sword in his hand.

"Choose your blade," he rumbled, his yellow eyes nearly glowing in the low light.

Gabriel looked to his right and saw that one of the weapons' panels was open, but he'd never seen the inside of this one. The silver and obsidian weapons were polished and much more intricate than the hand-me-down weapons the threiyan currently used. Pole blades, disc blades, knives and even a battle axe gleamed from within the mist-filled cabinet. But the weapons in the center were what caught Gabriel's eye.

Four swords, each uniquely crafted, hung from the wall. None however, were like his father's, which he still considered the most elegant weapon he'd ever seen or held. After a moment of admiration, he choose the second from the right, the blade releasing with a hissing click. Several jagged curves warped the blade, it's undulating spine bristling with hooked barbs. It felt light in his hand as he stepped into the platform.

Ul'juska's weapon glinted as he approached Gabriel, the long blade resembling veins of lightning veins woven together. "I am told your father wielded a sword."

"Saa." Gabriel remained alert, warily watching his sanja's sword arm from the corners of his eyes. If this were a test, he did not plan on failing. "I was not allowed to bring it with me."

The news seemed to pique his sanja's interest. "Why?"

"Arrakai H'darak said I must earn it back."

The older yautja rumbled in thought. As much as he hated to admit it, he agreed with the arbiter's decision. The boy couldn't possibly understand the responsibility the weapon represented. Which meant it fell on Athende's shoulders to teach him as much as he could of their clan's dying art before the trials. He looked Gesh over again, the resemblance to Nayadhi unquestionable — smooth, olive-green skin and the same reserved nature. His brother's stubborn spirit however, burned brightly inside his golden eyes.

"How much do you know of sejak'narát?"

The boy's brows knitted in confusion.

Athende sighed. It wasn't the boy's fault. Sejak'narát had been falling out of favor for the past several generations. "Assume the ready position."

The boy turned sideways, his left arm raised in front of him while his sword hung awkwardly by his side.

"Raise your sword! It must be parallel to your arm and the edges vertical." He demonstrated, positioning himself in one fluid movement. Gesh copied.

"Sejak'narát is the art of precision. You will learn how to manipulate a blade to produce lightning strikes and quick, killing blows. The sword is the most efficient and agile way to kill..."

Gabriel listened, soaking in the lesson. Ul'juska offered no explanation as to why he'd been singled out from the group other than a vague reference to his father. He was tired, but it didn't matter. He wanted this. He hadn't even realized he'd wanted this until now. His sanja showed him several basic slashes and jabs, making him practice them over and over again until he was satisfied.

Then, as abruptly as he'd been summoned, Gabriel was dismissed.

He collapsed into his bed, exhausted. But just as he was about to fall asleep, Sana's voice whispered from above. "Gesh, what did Sanja Ul'juska want with you?"

"Training," mumbled Gabriel.

After their brawl in the medical lab, something had clicked between him and Sana. A certain respect had grown between them. There was an implicit understanding that they were more similar than either would ever admit and that in some ways they needed each other if they hoped to survive over the next year. They pushed each other to do better, forming a coalition within their pack that ensured mutual protection in case one of the other threiyan tried to attack them. If Sana hadn't gotten there in time when Skarn had jumped him a few days ago he would've received more than just a fractured rib.

"What kind of training?"

"Sejak'narát."

Sana clicked thoughtfully. "I thought the practice had been banned."

The silence returned but sleep suddenly eluded Gabriel, the implications of his sanja's cryptic decision puzzling. Once again, his father somehow played a part. Two years and he still didn't have any answers about his past.

His chest suddenly tightened and Gabriel choked back several coughs, quickly digging for his rebreather in between the metal slab and pallet. He snapped it on and rolled over so no one could see him, quietly inhaling several deep breaths.

He'd overdone it today. It had been a long time since he'd used the specialized rebreather his parents had made for him. Gabriel had managed to hide his weakness from H'darak, but secrecy had been relatively easy since his breathing problems had practically vanished once he'd set foot on his ship. His rib fracture from his most recent fight had changed that, his lungs burning and head spinning over the past few days. He could go to Aishka for medical help but he couldn't risk the discovery of his breathing problem. Instinct told him to lay low.

The medicine inside the rebreather quickly soothed his aching chest and a wave of homesickness suddenly engulfed him, his excitement vanishing as the mask transported him back to when everything had been simple and familiar.

Riding Rasha across the golden hills.

Drinking with Jeremy at the Outlaw Hideout.

Sunrise over Eladoro's orange and white towers.

Holding Rin's shivering body beneath the pale uwanu tree.

_Rin._ Gabriel could barely remember what she smelled like and he wished he'd taken something of hers with him. He'd thought of her every day, picturing her working in her garden or helping her father at their tavern. Of all the things he missed most about her it was the moments of simply being with her.

It all felt so long ago. Three years. He'd promised to return in three years. It already felt like he'd been gone ages. He'd once pestered H'darak about how long they'd hunted together, but that had been months ago. Gabriel estimated he'd been gone roughly two years. Maybe more. What worried him was the training. The others had been with Ul'juska for at least a few years, if not longer. How long did they expect him to stay?

Somewhere between the endless questions Gabriel fell asleep, his restless mind dragging him between dreams and consciousness throughout the night.

* * *

**~\'/~**

* * *

Every few weeks, Gabriel and the other threiyan were taken to new worlds, each more hostile than the last. Ul'juska would test them, pushing them to the limits of what they could endure and accomplish. Sometimes they didn't even hunt, working on their speed, swimming skills or ranged weaponry. They were either grouped into a random team or hunted together, learning as they watched Ul'juska and his acolytes take down dangerous prey. And when they weren't practicing drills on slippery mountainsides, racing through the trees or brawling for the fun of it, Gabriel practiced his sword skill with Ul'juska and the two older blooded males.

A few disliked their sanja's new-found favoritism towards the person they still considered an outsider, even if the extra training meant Gabriel slept less and performed worse than normal. If anything, his inability to cope with the heavy training was proof he wasn't worthy of Ul'juska's one-on-one attention.

With Sana's observations and guidance however, Gabriel managed to repair some of the damage done with his first impressions.

He'd won Lorka over by simple obedience, following his lead on hunts even when he disagreed with his placement. As the son of a former captain — currently in exile — the large, amber yautja appreciated Gabriel's quick response and hard work.

Rytha, Lorka's silent shadow, ignored everyone except his companion and Gabriel quickly abandoned his attempts to connect with the strange unblood.

Neutral however, was better than hostile. After a great deal of research on each tribe within the clan, Gabriel began to understand Anu's insistence on protocol and general aloofness. As the oldest male in his tribe, he was now responsible for its survival. If he fell in the coming-of-age trial, his tribe would cease to exist, the females either voluntarily joining other tribes or, if they resisted to protect their male pups, forcibly taken. If Anu succeeded, he had to survive the inevitable challenges that came with leadership as the dominant male, not to mention the political obligations involved. Armed with that knowledge, Koru's presence suddenly made more sense. As Anu's cousin and the second oldest in the tribe, he was a defensive asset. Although the short-haired male was young, two males to protect their family was better than one. Anu was incredibly protective of his cousin and didn't like others sparring with him. But he couldn't be everywhere at once and Gabriel managed to get to know the young Ghost Blade in between training sessions. The strategy had worked to some degree. Koru had warmed up to him and Anu's iciness had slowly thawed into tolerance.

Gabriel had tried to befriend the twins, but their loyalty to Skarn made any interaction potentially hostile. When the large yautja couldn't fight him directly, he used Yun and Zash's devious minds to create twisted pranks.

And tonight was one such night.

Gabriel stared down at his bed, disgust wrinkling the bridge between his fangs and eyes, his mandibles curling as the bitter stench filled his mouth. A pile of stinkworms from the planet they'd most recently visited lay eviscerated on his pallet, their twisted bodies used to spell out his name.

"Giyat, what is that smell?" growled Sana as he entered the bunk area.

"Two guesses," rumbled Gabriel as he crossed his arms.

Sana stood next to him, hissing as he took in the sight. "Sekfets. Now my bunk will stink." Sana moved away from the rotting mess and sat in a nearby corner, sharpening his knife with a black river stone.

Gabriel rolled his eyes. "Thanks for helping clean up."

"Do I look like an aseinan to you?"

"H'ko, you look more like a h'kelak."

Sana stopped sharpening his knife and glared at him. "Watch it, Gesh."

Gabriel shrugged. "I didn't feel like sleeping tonight anyway." He waved behind himself as he walked out. "J'kaiye."

"Hey! Gesh! You can't leave that there," Sana shouted after him.

"What? I can't hear you." Gabriel chuckled as his left his friend blustering, heading for the computer lab to read and relax. And maybe catch up on some… _exotic_ videos that he'd been meaning to watch. It had been a while since he'd had time to take care of his personal needs.

But it wasn't meant to be.

Someone had already beat him to it, the door locked and glowing an irritating red. Gabriel huffed and tried to think of what else there was do on the ship.

In the kasenja, a friendly fight between Lorka and Anu versus Kachente and Aishka had developed, Koru keeping score. He watched for a few minutes before moving on, stumbling upon Rytha in the trophy room. The silent warrior was a gifted artist, his trophies and gear always covered in intricate patterns.

Gabriel hung back in the shadow of the archway, the red-haired unblood completely engrossed in his work. Meticulously, he cut and scored each tooth and claw, weaving them into a necklace. Gabriel slipped away before he was noticed.

He wandered down into the belly of the ship, preferring the dry warmth and hum of the engines to the humidity above. There was also some interesting stuff that others had abandoned here over the years that he would find tucked away in dusty containers or forgotten corners.

Tonight he felt like meditating, the way H'darak had shown him, and he settled into his favorite spot at the center of the engine room, crossing his legs and setting his hands on his knees. He focused on the drumming of the machines, slowly purging his mind of all the stress and anxiety weighing him down. One-by-one, his cares faded into the warm void, until there was only the sound of his hearts beating and blood thrumming through his veins.

After some unknown time had passed, Gabriel shuddered to life. He rumbled, stretching stiff muscles and rolling his head around his shoulders, his neck bones making making several satisfying pops.

The scent of another yautja suddenly his mouth and his hackles flared. He growled softly, sniffing as searched the room for the intruder. "Who's there?"

Only the silence answered him. Still, he waited, making sure it wasn't another one of Skarn's ambushes. When Gabriel felt like the coast was clear, he moved towards to the door.

A sharp hiss made him freeze.

So he hadn't been smelling things. Someone was here and they were messing with him. He growled a warning.

Soft chitters echoed from inside one of the maintenance shafts above and Gabriel looked up to see a pair of glowing eyes, one orange and one yellow, staring down at him. Relief and annoyance filled him. "Tesk, what are you doing?"

His friend hissed at him to be quiet. "Shut up! They'll hear you."

"Who will?"

"Not 'who.' What."

Gabriel sighed and asked, even though he already knew the answer. "What will hear me?"

"The monsters."

"Tesk, if there were monsters loose on the ship, we would smell them."

A dark chuckle echoed inside the shaft.

"What's so funny?"

The grilled hatch slammed open and Tesk landed with a heavy thump in front of him. He rose to face Gabriel, his face contorted into a snarl. "You." He shoved Gabriel, growling. "You're funny, Xesh. Funny, stupid, ignorant Xesh." He shoved Gabriel to punctuate each point, Gabriel stumbling back, unsure whether to fight back or let his friend's moment of insanity pass. "You do not understand. You are blind. Naïve. Foolish. You will all die. All of you!" A mad light had entered his eyes and he shoved Gabriel against one of the engine monitors, snarling and hissing. "But I won't! I won't die! I won't let you or any of them kill me, Kaya!" His hands wrapped around Gabriel's throat, roaring as he squeezed tighter and tighter.

Pain flared inside Gabriel's lungs as Tesk's vice-like grip began to crush his throat. He tugged futilely at his hands. "T-Tesk… s-stop… I'm Gesh… I'm... Gesh…"

The mad light suddenly left Tesk's eyes and he released him, confusion filling his face. Gabriel fell to his knees, coughing and rubbing his throat. Tesk back away, mewling and clawing his face. Gabriel tried to tell him he was okay, but he couldn't stop coughing. And the more he coughed, the more his chest and ribs hurt, and the more they hurt, the more he coughed. His body shuddered as wracking coughs ripped from his lungs. "Tesk —coughcough— I need —coughcoughcough— mask —coughcoughcough— under bed —coughcoughcoughcough—"

The world spun black, the warm heat of the engine room fading in and out. Gabriel suddenly found himself on the floor, unable to breathe. His lungs burned. He couldn't move. _Oh God, don't let me die here. I promised Rin. I promised. I promised…_

* * *

**~\'/~**

* * *

Sweet air rushed into his chest, his lungs swelling as Gabriel heaved several deep breaths. He rolled onto his back, concentrating on only breathing, grateful to be alive. Tesk hovered over him, anxiety carving deep lines into his tired face. After a few minutes, Gabriel sat up, shaky but otherwise fine. When he felt the worse was over, he peeled off the rebreather, testing his lungs to make sure everything was normal.

"Gesh?"

Gabriel looked over at Tesk, eyebrow raised. He'd actually gotten his name right. "Saa?"

"Are you alive?"

Gabriel choked back his laughter. "Saa, Tesk. I'm alive. Just don't make me laugh."

"Will you kill me now?"

"What?"

"I tried to kill you."

Gabriel shook his head. "H'ko."

"Why?"

"Because you were trying to kill someone else."

"I was?"

"I think his name was Kaya."

Tesk's pupil's shrunk and his breathing hitched. Gabriel smelled fear.

"What's wrong? You've missed a lot of training. You don't even show up to eat anymore."

"Can't sleep. Can't eat. Too much waiting. Too much time to think." Tesk wrung his hands, looking over his shoulders every so often for something that wasn't there.

"About what?"

Tesk looked at him, eyes wide, his fangs opening and closing in indecision. With a trembling whimper, Tesk hissed and curled up into a ball, rocking side-to-side.

A deep sense of pity filled Gabriel. He wanted to help his friend. Something traumatic had clearly happened to him a long time ago, an event that had destroyed his entire tribe. And the closer the coming-of-age trial drew, more violent his fits of insanity became.

"Tesk, let's make a deal."

His friend stopped rocking from side-to-side, peeking at him from between his knees and arms. "A deal?"

"Saa. You tell me why you're afraid of the monsters and I'll tell you why I need this." He held up the rebreather mask.

Tesk pondered the offer, mandibles flexing in uncertainty. "You first," he rumbled, unfolding his arms and legs. Despite his slumped shoulders and hollow cheeks, his usual melancholy was replaced with a guarded curiosity.

"I—"

"Are there tails in this story?"

Gabriel growled and Tesk clamped his mandibles together, trying his best to look as meek as possible.

"I…" Gabriel cleared his throat, glancing around to make sure no one else was listening. "I wasn't raised by yautja. My parents crashed on a moon and they were attacked by a warrior from another tribe. He took my father's skull and stabbed my mother, leaving us to die. Huunan'de had claimed the moon and found my mother. Their healers couldn't save her, but they saved me..." Gabriel told him about Eladoro, how the healers adopted and raised him, and his days riding lonma and driving cattle. He recounted the harrowing tale of hunting his parents' murderer and how H'darak had saved him after he tried to get revenge. He left out Rin. His gut told him to keep her safe. "After I healed, I left the moon to train with H'darak. I wanted to know who I was and where I came from. It's been… strange. Taun'gra is difficult. But I am alive. Wich is good…What?"

Tesk stared at him, eyes narrowed. "C'sekjit."

"It's true."

"C'sekjit."

Gabriel growled. "I'm not lying, Tesk. And it's a… um…"

"Secret."

"Saa and I am not allowed to... speak it. Tell it, I mean."

"Huunan'de raised you?"

"Saa."

"They didn't try to kill you?"

"H'ko. I fought a few of them, but not to the death. Most wanted to protect me. My parents made them swear to... keep secret."

Tesk snorted and shook his head in disbelief. "Makes no sense. Makes Tesk's head hurt."

Gabriel folded his arms. "Well it's the truth. And now it's your turn. Why are you so…"

"Crazy."

"I was going to say afraid."

Tesk huffed, scowling at the floor. "Afraid… always afraid." He fiddled with a tail in his hands, snapping it angrily and then twisting it into a broken knot. "Not always though. One time, a long time ago, before the nightmares and the cold, I was never afraid. I did not know what fear was. Fear was for animals. And cowards. And I was not a coward. My father was quick and silent. He could get close enough to the kaide sjei'adha to be able to reach out and touch them and slip away. He was called… h-his name…" Tesk's started trembling, a snarl curling back his fangs. "I can't remember… I can't remember!"

Gabriel hesitated, then leaned over and gently put his hand on Tesk's shoulder, the way he'd seen his mother do to patients.

The contact startled Tesk and he froze, growling softly.

"It's okay." Gabriel slowly pulled his hand away.

Tesk fidgeted with the now ragged tail, refusing to look him in the eye.

Gabriel decided to prompt him. "Who was your mother?"

Tesk's nervous fingers stilled. "My mother," he whispered and then closed his eyes. "Xanadi. Bright Star. She was warm and strong, with long, soft locks that I liked to lay in when I slept. She took care of the trees and plants in the bio-dome on the ship. She always smelled like the large white flowers that bloomed there all the time."

"You lived on a nomad ship."

Tesk opened his eyes, gazing at unseen memories. "Saa. The Spear of Destiny. Ten thousand of my kin traveled the stars, hunting and exploring. Free to go where we pleased. Every hundred years we returned to the homeworld to tell stories and trade and mate. We were supposed to go back... soon. I was young then. One world did not impress me. Our ship went to many worlds. The ship was home. The ship was safe."

Tesk's face contorted with grief and rage. "But it was _not_ safe! I-It… they just…" he clenched into a trembling ball, heaving ragged breaths as he fought for control. The tail strained between his white-knuckled fists as he twisted and tugged. Finally, with a sickening pop, the tail ripped apart.

He held the pieces in his hands, chuckling softly. "You know what's funny?"

Gabriel's hackles rose. "What?"

"I don't like tails." Tesk lifted his head, glaring at the two bloody pieces skin and bone in his hands. "I _hate _them."

"W—"

"Why? Why do I hate them? Why do I hate the thing I love?" he spat the last words and tossed the broken tail across the room, roaring. "Because they took her! They killed her and it's not fair! It's not fair! I'll kill them! I'll kill them a—"

A sharp crack cut him off, leaving Tesk in stunned silence.

Gabriel's hand stung from catching one of his fangs across his fingers.

His friend rubbed his face, his skin swelling a bright white as blood rushed underneath the skin. "You… You slapped me."

Gabriel hesitated, then shrugged. "Saa. You were freaking out."

"Oh…" The fire in Tesk's eyes disappeared, replaced with a melancholic grimness.

Gabriel stood. "I think that's enough for now. We need to—"

"Sit."

The command flustered Gabriel's attempt to distract his friend. "What?"

Tesk closed his tired eyes and began talking, picking up where he'd left off, not bothering to check if Gabriel was still listening or not. Gabriel hesitated, then sat down.

"It was a normal day. My mother was taking soil samples and trimming the plants. She let me water the flowers, giving me a small pouch of water to pour on their roots. I was running, trying to finish as quickly as possible so that I could go play with my friends. I was halfway done when I smelled blood. I'd never smelled that much before. It mixed with the scent of the flowers, a sickly sweet perfume that made me nauseous. I stepped out from behind the large bush and that's when I saw my mother. She was hanging in the air, blood dripping from the hole in her chest. Even though her eyes were open I knew she was dead. Then she started moving."

"A long, black tail pulled her into the tree branches and began eating her, it's tongue punching effortlessly through her strong bones and sucking her dry. I must have made a sound because it suddenly noticed me. It ripped its tail from her body and hissed, its eyeless face focused on me. I ran, not daring to look behind me. If I could find an adult, I knew I would be safe."

"Outside the bio-dome it was chaos. Klaxons began to blare and nobody knew what was happening. The males ordered us to head to the smaller ships and escape craft, but I wanted to find my grandmother. She was old and couldn't see very well. I had to help her get out. The crowds were thick and I fought through the current of bodies, ignoring the calls from friends and cousins to come with them. Even then I did not understand what had been unleashed inside our clan ship."

"By the time I made it to our home, the halls were empty and my grandmother was nowhere to be found. My mother had many sisters and one of them had probably taken her. Afraid I was going to be left behind, I raced back across the ship. I was halfway there when the shockwave hit. It knocked me out for I don't know how long and when I woke up the emergency lights had come on. It was eerily quiet. Like the kind where everyone is sleeping and you can hear even the softest of noises. Instinctively, I crept down the hall, freezing whenever I heard a whisper of a sound. It was cold, so cold I could see my breath. Frost sparkled along the floors and walls where the humidity had chilled. I was so worried about my footing that I didn't notice the bodies."

"At first they appeared in ones and twos, usually males. Warriors who died fighting. My hearts pounded with dread with each new body I encountered. I expected to see my father at any moment. Then, females started appearing. A few had been trampled. Others mutilated like my mother. There was blood everywhere. It filled the hall and my mouth, my sandals squelching through the icy muck. Soon, I was picking my ways through piles of females. I recognized one of my aunts and a cousin."

"Dread clawed at my mind. There was no honorable death in this slaughter. All I could see was horror and pain. Panic set in. I wanted to live. I ran the rest of the way, pleading with the gods that at least one ship was still there…"

Tesk paused, opening his eyes and looking at Gabriel with such hopelessness that he couldn't help but ask, "There wasn't a ship, was there?"

Tesk shook his head. "Worse. None of of the ships had made it. And because everyone had converged on the landing bay, the black creatures had converted it into their nesting site. I'd only heard of the hard meats in legends and stories. They never mentioned what I saw that day and the days after. My kin were strung up along the walls and ships, trapped in webs of slime. Eggs covered the floor and I watched as one peeled open, spidery legs flailing around inside the leathery shell. I heard a roar and looked over to see a warrior struggling to break free. The thing suddenly leapt into the air, strangling his cries with its tail and smothering him with its body."

"I ran, fleeing like a coward. But if a blooded warrior could be caught and killed by these monsters, what hope did I have? So I hid. First in my home and then near the kitchen and food storage rooms. Every once in a while I would hear screaming and running, survivors like me who'd been caught."

"One night — I say night, but there was no day or night cycle anymore, just the glowing emergency lights and dark corridors — I found another boy, only a season older than me. He was starving and sick. I thought about letting him die. But I decided if I rationed the food right, we would be fine. And I'd have someone to talk to other than my dry water pouch and knife. I dragged him back using the vent shafts in the floor. The monsters didn't use them — they owned the halls and the ship. There was no need to skulk."

"He was weak at first, but eventually he got better. I learned his name was Kaya and we became friends… at least, I thought we were friends. As the days went by, he started changing. He stopped talking to me and started talking to himself instead. Instead of sharing warmth we slept apart. He started complaining about the rations and said my half was bigger than his. Then one day I caught him stealing extra portions when it was my turn to sleep."

"I… I was mad. But I didn't want to kill him. I just wanted him to stop eating the food…" Tesk curled up into a ball again, his words muffled. "He tried to kill me. He took his knife and stabbed me. And it hurt. And he kept doing it. Then… then everything went red and when I woke up my hands were around his neck and he was dead. His eyes kept staring at me, begging me to stop but it was too late."

Tesk squeezed into an even tighter ball, rocking back and forth.

"Tesk."

He refused to answer and Gabriel let him be, the pair sitting in silence for a long time. When Tesk finally raised his head, he looked exhausted.

"Tesk? You with me?"

"Saa. I think."

"What happened next?"

Tesk took a deep breath and closed his eyes as he remembered. "I had to move. I moved each time the food ran out. But I didn't find anymore survivors."

"How long were you on the ship?"

Tesk opened his eyes, brow furrowed. "Three cycles?"

"Three _cycles_?"

"Maybe four. Kaya stayed with me for… a month, maybe."

"Didn't anyone send out a distress signal?"

"Saa, but we were at the edge of the galaxy and our sister clans were at war with each other world. I think the only reason they finally came was because I managed to sneak into the control room one day and send a message."

"Why not sooner?"

"The monsters were sleeping. They'd eaten everyone and everything they could. I was running out of food too. The large storehouses were sealed and protected with entry codes. The water supply was also drying up, probably because of a leak somewhere on the ship." Tesk suddenly started giggling. "If I hadn't sent that message when I did, they would've blow the ship up. A monster nearly ate me after I did that."

As if the moment between them had never happened, Tesk suddenly began muttering to himself, twisting another tail around his fingers.

Gabriel yawned and rubbed his scalped, wondering if it had done any good.

"Should sleep, Sesh. Need all your strength."

"I'm not tired. I could take first watch?"

Tesk grinned and looked at him. "Won't work, Sesh."

Gabriel smiled and laid back with his hands behind his head. "It was worth a try."

Tesk watched the yautja raised by huunan'de fall asleep, ignoring the screams in the distance. When he was around him, he could focus. He'd even dozed off a few times on the nights they shared the computer room.

_Maybe it's because you're both crazy?_

_H'ko. I'm crazy. He's just different. _

_He won't survive the trials. He's too soft._

The walls were suddenly covered in fleshy slime. Tesk bit his hand, the illusion vanishing.

_You can't ignore us forever. You broke once and we'll break you again. _

Tesk covered his ears and clenched his fangs. _There once was a yautja raised by huunan'de and there was no such things as monsters._

The screaming grew louder and white flowers burst from the corners of the room.

_He rode across golden fields and hunted for food in the forests and mountains._

Reality thundered and spun, the room suddenly thrown into darkness.

_He was alone, but he never gave up! Never!_

Monsters shrieked in the darkness, hot drool dripping over his scalp and shoulders.

_And I will never give up! I am not afraid of you!_

The monsters laughed at him, their whispers echoing inside his mind as the light of reality returned. _Prove it._


	7. Agaj'ya Tor'nu na Rakha

**Author's Note**

Based on the suggestion of AAEdmonds, next week I've decided to be awesome and will be posting _two_ chapters. *shocked face*

However! You can't have something for nothing, which means I expect mucho reviews (especially from you lurkers... you know who you are). If you don't have an account and don't feel like making one, I allow Guest/Anonymous reviews so feel free to let me know your opinion in the review box below.

**Characters***

Raheta - rah-HEH-tah - wise leader

Yechandu - yeh-SHAHN-doo - strong arm

*I was lazy and didn't feel like creating full names for them like the other characters :P

**Taun'gra**

chiva - KEE-vah - test or trial

gokhra - GOHK-rah - creature with large jaws native to the swamplands of Jasska

rakhari - rah-KAH-ree - the firebirds of the planet Rakha

yancara - YAHN-cah-rah - a game reminiscent of chess and mancala

* * *

**The Land of Ash and Fire**

* * *

The alarm above the doorway began to chirp, but nobody had slept. Not even Koru. Some had pretended, rolling onto their sides and laying deathly still the entire night cycle. Gabriel had wandered the ship for a while, searching for Tesk. But his friend hadn't wanted to be found, so he'd returned to the bunks and played a few games of yancara with Sana.

Gabriel slid out from his warm slab and followed his pack brothers to the kasenja. There was some growling and jostling for certain positions but this morning was tame compared to the past few months. They had trained relentlessly, their bodies and tempers pushed to the breaking points with each impossible task Ul'juska had assigned them. But it was more than just frustration. Each of them was beginning to feel the burning of the rut, a throbbing ache in the pit of their stomachs that slowly grew stronger each day. It also made them stronger and sharper, and they would need that aggression. Because today they would endure the sacred right of passage. Today, they would earn the right to be blooded. Or die trying.

They stood on the cold platform, a sea of mist swirling around them as they waited for their sanja to address them. He stood at the platform's edge, hands clasped behind his straight back, hardened amber eyes assessing each of them. Gabriel felt as if his teacher's gaze lingered upon him for a second longer before moving on to the next student. There was something his sanja wasn't telling him. He'd sensed it since the first day he'd arrived on the ship.

Gabriel did not let his roiling emotions show, holding his head high. He would have his answers once he earned his mark and completed the trial. His sanja wouldn't be able to refuse him then.

"'You will all fail,'" Ul'juska growled. "That is what they say. That you won't even make it passed the doors of the temple."

The unbloods snarled softly, Gabriel joining in.

"They say that you are the sons of aseinan and korvakra and that you have no place amongst the pure bloodlines of the you were unfit to be born and unworthy to carry the mark of your ancestors."

The air began to fill the heavy musk of aggression, a steady rumble of growls and clicks perforating the chamber.

Ul'juska's voice steadily rose with each word. "They say that you will die without honor, cowering in the face of death and begging for your life. That everything you have done has been in vain."

The threiyan snarled and stamped their feet, Gabriel's hearts thundering with righteous anger.

"Do you know what I say? I say that you are among the strongest I have ever trained and that you will fight with courage and honor!" He roared. "Whether you pass through the gates of Hell or return to the land of living, your glory will shine brighter than the stars!"

As one the threiyan raised their fists and roared. The deafening cry shook the platform and filled the entire ship. Surging with confidence and adrenaline, they howled and chanted, and it took Ul'juska several moments to restore order.

"The warrior spirit is strong within all of you. By strength and cunning you will silence their words and prove that your destiny is yours and yours alone." He looked up to the ceiling. "Kachente, how long till we dock with the Star Dancer?"

"No more than a quarter of a day cycle."

"Good." Ul'juska returned his attention to his eager students. "Prepare yourselves to greet your elders. Go!"

Gabriel and the others raced for the showers, jostling to be the first. Their three-minute allotment had been doubled and they hadn't had a hot shower in weeks. Gabriel almost made it but Lorka shoved him aside, the amber-skinned giant laughing as Gabriel flicked him off, his hand curling into a fist and jabbing the backsides of his forefinger and pinky into the air.

"I don't know why you even bothered trying," huffed Sana as Gabriel stood. "We're always last."

"First to shower means first to eat."

Sana shrugged. "I'm not that hungry."

"Nervous?"

Sana scoffed but said nothing.

The speech had been just what they'd needed to break the tension, but Gabriel could feel his doubts returning. The odds of all of them surviving were slim to none. Kaide sjei'adha were one of the deadliest creatures in the galaxy, possessing acidic blood; long, razor-tipped tails; tongues that could puncture bone; and the ability to mature and breed at an insane rate. Even the most seasoned of warriors struggled to overcome them. Tesk's story of how the kaide sjei'adha had decimated his people in a matter of hours had haunted Gabriel and he'd learned everything he could about them. He'd even pestered Aishka and Kachente with questions about how they had passed their trial, but their answers hadn't exactly been inspiring.

Survival, it seemed, mostly came down to luck.

When he told Ul'juska his theory, his sanja had shaken his head and said that most young hunters made the mistake of relying on their strength alone, which made them arrogant and slow. The kaide sjei'adha forced a warrior to use everything he'd learned.

Gabriel tried to lighten his friend's mood and gently shoved his shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll save a few for you."

Sana growled and brushed his hand away. "Be serious, Gesh. Kaide sjei'adha aren't feyari or gokhra." He folded his arms and huffed. "Besides… everyone knows I'll get my mark first."

Lorka suddenly stepped out of the steaming stall. He growled at them when they tried to make a move and nodded to Rytha to take his turn. After his friend slipped inside, Lorka grinned. "You two pups are amusing. I'll take your bet, Sana."

"Accepted," growled Gabriel before his shyer companion could back out.

"Good," purred Lorka. "Winner gets 10 claws."

Sana nearly choked as the large yautja swaggered away. "Ten claws!? Where am I going to get that much money?"

Gabriel shrugged and Sana growled a long sigh.

When the others had finished cleansing themselves, they took their turn, Gabriel having to shove Tesk into one of the three shower stalls so he wouldn't smell like he hadn't bathed in months - which he hadn't.

After showering and eating, they lined up at the docking port, quietly slipping into their places beneath the watchful eye of their mentor. With expert precision, Kachente docked with the Star Dancer. A soft thud shivered over the ship, the only evidence that the two were now connected. With a sharp hiss, the doors spiraled open, the scents from the other vessel flooding the entryway. Kachente joined Ul'juska and Aishka at the head of the formation and as one they crossed into the ship.

The vessel dwarfed their training ship, able to house hundreds of yautja if needed, with the capacity to carry at least six smaller ships. The walls were adorned with elaborate carvings and tales of past warriors and glorious hunts. Emberlight danced behind the ribbed walls and within crystal torches attached to the ceiling, while warm mist swirled about their ankles as they ventured deeper into the ship. Gabriel caught glimpses of other warriors down the many hallways they passed, crimson shadows that followed their every step.

Ul'juska led them into a great hall, the room several times larger than the kasenja they trained in. Lining the room on either side were clusters of warriors, most of them highly decorated and very old. Some tribal elders Gabriel could match with a respective unblood.

Skarn's elders were the easiest to identify, their dark, brawny bodies covered in elaborate scars and kill marks. They wore the least amount of armor in order to show off their accomplishments.

Lorka's giant relatives were also easy to spot and wore beautifully crafted, serrated armor that covered their legs and chests, maroon capes cascading down their backs.

Gabriel's hearts hammered against his ribs when he spotted H'darak standing between two groups of yautja. He felt as if all of their eyes watched him with either keen interest or simmering hostility. He forced his eyes to look straight ahead. _Focus, Gabriel. Don't screw this up._

Ul'juska stopped and softly growled for them to fan out into a semi-circle. Once they were in position, Kachente and Aishka stepped aside to join several other warriors, all bearing Ul'juska's mark on their brow. His sanja's older students must have come to see their master and his newest threiyan, Gabriel realized.

A slit suddenly peeled down the wall they were facing and the large doors retracted, revealing a yautja of great age and grace. As he stepped forward, every head dipped in respect and Ul'juska crouched on one knee, head bowed low. The other threiyan did likewise and Gabriel followed their lead, wondering who this elder was to merit such respect and honor.

"Rise, young ones," said the elder.

As one, they stood, Gabriel tasting the surprise and anxiety of some of his pack brothers. Whoever this elder was, he was important.

"Ul'juska Athende, you have many students this season. It will be a great testament to your skill if even but a few survive to be blooded."

Their sanja bowed his head. "Your words honor me, Shaikal Ekanu."

_Shaikal, _echoed Gabriel silently. Great elder. A title reserved for only the highest of tribal leaders. But with the way everyone was treating him, could this be _the _clan leader?

The white-haired yautja looked passed their sanja and addressed them. "Threiyan, you are free to receive your tribes' blessings. Once that is done, you will pass through these doors and begin your journey. May you find glory or an honorable death."

All heads bowed again and Shaikal Ekanu left.

His pack brothers dispersed to greet their tribes' representatives. Some were welcomed with friendly shoulder clasps. Others kept at a distance with few words spoken. Gabriel watched the elders of Sana's tribe glare at him, only one approaching him to offer words of encouragement. Anu, Koru and Tesk remained in the center. Gabriel didn't want to leave Tesk alone, afraid he might do something irrational. But H'darak was waiting for him and he could not refuse his mentor.

Gabriel approached, anxiety tightening his chest as two groups of elders converged around him and H'darak. As usual, the arbiter didn't waste time on small talk.

"Gesh, this is Shaikal Yechandu of the Thunder Fists and Shaikal Raheta of the Fire Spitters. They are here to witness your trial."

Gabriel bowed, not sure what to say. Thankfully, H'darak pulled him aside, although he could still feel their eyes watching him, assessing his every step and gesture. Neither tribal group seemed to enjoy being so close to the other and kept their distance between each other.

"Why are there two tribes here, H'darak? I thought only the matrilineal side was supposed to be represented."

"An exception was made," he rumbled. "Now let me look at you." He stepped back and examined Gabriel, clicking softly. "You seem to be in one piece, with a few scars added. That is good."

Gabriel had received several wounds over the past few cycles, his first from the feyari, whose claws had left three gashes down his chin and left cheek. Several more lashed his legs and the large bite of a gorkha circled his right forearm. He and his pack brothers often compared scars and traded stories during the rare moments when they weren't trying to fight each other.

"I heard you've collected at least one impressive kill from each hunt?"

"Saa." Confusion twisted his stomach. On the one hand, he felt a sense of pride at his accomplishments. Yet guilt gnawed at his conscience. What was the point? To impress females? Earn money and honor? He had no interest in such things. He never had. And more importantly, none of these things told him who he was or explained the the mystery surrounding his parents.

H'darak cocked his head. "You're very quiet, Gesh. Did Ul'juska manage to tame your tongue?"

"H'ko. I have simply learned to wait. I will have my answers from both of you when I return."

At first, Gabriel worried he'd offended the arbiter, but H'darak merely huffed. "When you return, huh? Brave words."

Another arbiter suddenly appeared and Gabriel recognized him from the homeworld. "The infamous Gesh, we meet again," the arbiter growled, a sly smile spreading across his mandibles. He tossed H'darak a claw streaked with rubies. "Looks like he survived after all, h'seiya. You win again."

Out of reflex, H'darak caught the claw, growling in disapproval. "I did not bet, Isskela."

"And yet you are the luckiest yautja I've ever met."

Gabriel bowed his head. "It is an honor, Arrakai Isskela."

The arbiter chuckled. "So polite. I do not think he learned such manners from you."

"Indeed," growled H'darak before turning his attention back to Gabriel. "It is time for you to go, Gesh." He held his hand up before he could ask. "Your weapons are waiting for you in the chamber beyond. You have proven yourself worthy."

Gratitude filled Gabriel and he quickly bowed and trotted off, falling in line with rest of the threiyan, gently nudging Tesk along the way every so often.

All were silent as they filed into the weapons chamber, although a few could not suppress rumbles of surprise and admiration at the gifts awaiting them.

Ten statues lined the chamber, each bearing weapons and armor specially designed and selected for each unblood. At the very end, Gabriel found the one meant for him and he reverently traced the mask and armor, before searching for his father's sword, the blade strapped to the stone mannequin's waist. The silver blade slid from the hilt without a sound, firelight dancing over its polished surface. _I don't know what you did, _Gabriel thought. _But I swear I'll make things right. H'darak says that if I survive the trials then your honor will be restored. It doesn't make any sense to me but if that's what it takes then so be it. _Gabriel paused, then said a silent prayer. If there was a God listening, he wanted Him on his side.

He quickly strapped on his shin and knee guards, followed by his chest and shoulder plates. A retractable shield gauntlet fitted securely on his left arm and his sword buckled about his waist over his groin and thigh guards. After securing two serrated knives and a coil of wire rope to his belt, he attached his shoulder cannon to the energy pack resting on the back of his right shoulder plate. His new mask came last and Gabriel paused to admire its design. Simple yet elegant. He almost felt like a different person whenever he wore a mask. Like he'd always been a hunter. Like he belonged.

He slipped it on, the air hoses snapping on with a squealing hiss. Electricity shivered over his skin as the mask awoke, syncing with his power pack and body. The mesh covering his chest and legs hummed with warmth and his armor tightened and sealed against his body, allowing him to move with ease. Gabriel tested the new system, scanning his pack brothers in different wavelengths.

A warning chirped overhead once they were all armored. They were nearing the drop site and needed to be in their drop pods soon.

Gabriel noticed Tesk huddled in the corner as the others filed out, Sana hanging back to wait for both of them.

"Tesk," rumbled Gabriel. "It's time."

Wild eyes looked up at him, a knife was clenched between his two shaking fists.

He gently laid a hand on his shoulder. "Your family would be proud of you."

Tesk stilled, the mad light fading and replaced with the yautja Gabriel knew was buried beneath the fear and tainted memories.

Sana was suddenly by Gabriel's side. "Gesh is right. Even though you were constantly slacking off, you're still better than most of us without even trying."

Gabriel and Tesk gaped at their normally grumpy friend and he growled, crossing his arms and turning away to avoid their stares, embarrassed by the attention.

Gabriel grinned and clapped Sana's shoulder. "Well said."

Tesk grabbed a chestplate, his mask, throwing stars, a spear and a shoulder cannon. He grinned when Gabriel questioned his limited gear. "Too much will slow me down."

The alarm chirped insistently and a countdown began.

All three jumped into their crimson-lit pods, the doors sealing shut as they strapped themselves in. The countdown flatlined and began flashing, a shudder shaking Gabriel's pod and his stomach leapt into his chest. Reverse thrusters jerked him out of free fall, but he still sensed he was falling at an incredible speed. There was no sound other than his rapid breathing and thundering hearts. He clenched his arms across his chest as the straps suddenly tightened around his legs and shoulders.

With bonecrushing force, the drop pod slammed into the ground, shock-absorbent foam bursting to life a split second before the impact. It filled the entire pod, quickly dissolving as soon as the doors opened.

A blast of hot air seared his skin, the eager howls of his pack brothers echoing across the grey hills. He pulled himself from the pod, his sandalled feet sinking into the soft ash that carpeted the expansive plains around him. As Gabriel looked around, he imagined this was exactly what Hell looked like.

Rivers of lava slid across the earth, fed by chains of massive volcanoes that belched thick clouds of black smoke and noxious fumes. Lightning writhed and twisted within the fiery plumes, creating some of the most violent and breathtaking natural displays Gabriel had ever witnessed. His mask told him the atmosphere was incredibly toxic, which meant if he lost his mask or his power pack, he would die a very short, painful death.

Hot ash began to rain down, stinging his skin and fizzling whenever it landed on his energy mesh. Instead of warming him, the wires now cooled his body.

At the center of it all, above the hills of ash and flaming rivers of molten rock, rose an ancient temple, its jagged walls carved from obsidian. The black stone absorbed the hellish light around it, the heat warping and twisting its shadowed obelisks until they seemed to writhe. Large, reptilian-like birds known as rakhari circled the foreboding structure. They were lured using their favorite prey, the bait restocked after each chiva and activated when the ship neared the temple. The queen would have been awoken by now and her eggs dispersed. Soon, a new generation of kaide sjei'adha would be born.

Gabriel tried not to think about the terrible fates the rakhari were meeting. He had learned the hard way under H'darak when he had protested against trophy hunting and had decided not to test Ul'juska's patience with questions about the rite-of-passage traditions.

He fell in line, the threiyan creating a wedge formation as they crossed the blistering plains of ash and fire, Lorka at its head. His voice crackled over their masks' comms.

"Remember what you fight for today, brothers. Remember our sanja's words and teachings. We fight for his honor as much as our own." His growls thundered inside their helms, his anger fueling Gabriel's own and helping him focus on the task at hand. "Let us silence those old fools once and for all."

The pack roared their approval and picked up the pace, all eager to prove themselves worthy to carry their sanja's mark.

* * *

**~\'/~**

* * *

Deep within the cavernous labyrinth and ebony passages, a shadow slithered from the icy depths of its bearer's eternal prison. It climbed stiffly over its mother's back, hissing as arcs of electricity seared over and through its body. It had hidden inside the chamber with its bearer during the invasion of their nest, the last of its siblings to survive the slaughter. It rubbed itself against its mother's icy carapace, its skin sloughing as it instinctively prepared for the next phase of its life cycle. The new hive was in danger.

It must protect it at all costs.


	8. Heart of Darkness

**Author's Note: **Happy Cinco de Mayo! As promise, I will be uploading chapters 8 and 9 together. R&R!

**Taun'gra**

**zaki'ytei **- zaa-KEE-ih-teh - rough translation (depending on symbols used) 'eyeless crawler' or 'mouth raper'

* * *

**Heart of Darkness**

* * *

One-by-one, the unbloods split up.

Gabriel had tried to follow Sana, arguing that they shouldn't go anywhere alone. His friend had whirled around, gently but firmly placing his hand in the middle of his chest and shoving him back. "No Gesh. I must do this alone."

Gabriel had wanted to tell him he was a fool. But the tone in his friend's voice stopped him. He kept his mouth closed and searched for Tesk, only to discover that the he and everyone else had already disappeared down one of the many maze-like passages. Only he was left in the main hallway, Sana's footsteps fading with each passing moment.

Gabriel huffed, the scent of his pack brothers still lingering in the warm air. He smelled nothing unusual — no blood, no fear, not even the sickly sweet stench of his prey's webbed nests. The obsidian walls distorted sound, their unnatural angles redirecting the slightest vibrations and muting others. The cool, black stone was also the perfect camouflage for their prey, the creatures' life heat sealed inside thick, chitinous armor. Cautiously, he ventured into one of the narrow side passages, searching for the deepest parts of the labyrinth, where the kaide sjei'adha would most likely make their new breeding chamber.

* * *

**~\'/~**

* * *

High above, rakhari swarmed the fresh carcasses chained to the floor of the towers, snarling and clawing at each other for the best pieces. Easy meals such as this were difficult to come by. The creatures were jolted from their feast by the thunderous snap of the windows sealing shut, the room plunging into complete darkness. Shrieking and howling, they scrambled for an exit, the rumble of a dozen small pillars rising from the ground lost in the panicked cacophony. It was only when the smell of rotten flesh filled the room that a few of the creatures paused. A few climbed the pillars, using the leathery tops to try and find a way out.

Something stirred in the darkness. The sounds grew louder and the rakhari hissed and snarled, desperately trying to find a way out. Slimy claws suddenly grabbed their faces, long tails constricting about their throats. Fleshy proboscis cut off their squeals of terror as they slid down their throats, depositing the larvae as the hosts lost consciousness.

* * *

**~\'/~**

* * *

His hearts fluttered inside his chest and he gripped his spear tighter. All he needed was one. Just one clean kill and the nightmare would be over.

Whispers echoed down the halls, taunting him with the promise of a quick death, while shadows ghosted across the walls, faces of the forgotten dead, distorted beyond recognition by time and decay.

A hand brushed his shoulder and Tesk whirled, hissing as he slashed with his weapon.

Nothing.

The voices laughed. _Still afraid. Still afraid. _They chanted the mantra over and over, the hateful words tumbling inside his head.

Tesk lurched down the corridor, desperately trying to escape the madness clawing at him.

Just one kill. That was all he needed. Just one…

* * *

**~\'/~**

* * *

Skarn crouched in the center of the chamber, periodically checking the four entrances for sound or movement. This was the place he would make his stand, he'd decided. He was deep within the temple and there were plenty of tunnels in the ceiling to lull one of the beasts into a false sense of superiority. Now all he had to do was wait.

Skarn huffed. He hated waiting. It would be at least a couple hours until the larvae matured. Enough time for him to become bored and complacent.

When his legs began to cramp, he stood, unsheathing his glaive and swinging it several times, practicing the basic moves without even thinking. Skarn stopped to admire the weapon, a gift from his mother. The dual-ended spear fit him perfectly. End-to-end, it was exactly his height, each elegantly curved tip as long as his forearm.

He frowned. It was almost… too perfect. How she had found the bone to make such a superb blade made him worry. What kind of deals had she struck to ensure he received the best weapons and armor possible?

The thought left a sour taste in his mouth as he continued practicing. Once he had his mark he'd make sure no one ever took advantage of his mother again.

* * *

**~\'/~**

* * *

Despite his companion's foolish insistence that they split up, Rytha trailed him, keeping just out of sight, using the temple's distorted acoustics to his advantage. Lorka had descended steadily into the belly of the temple, never hesitating when he came to an intersection, as if he followed an invisible trail only he could see.

Silent as a shadow, Rytha followed, determined to aid his companion in regaining his line's honor. At least in this way he could be useful. A weapon and a shield. A tool. Tools had no honor but they did have a purpose and that was all Rytha asked for. To have purpose.

Lorka did not see his red hair or strange face. He saw a skilled warrior worthy enough to keep by his side and use as he saw fit. Whether it was fair or unfair did not matter. His companion had a vision, a destiny he pursued with a single-minded determination that Rytha found compelling and admirable. So he'd pledged his existence to fulfilling Lorka's dream.

Rytha froze and slid back around the base of the statue, his companion unexpectedly pausing at the head of a long staircase. A deep growl echoed down the stairs. "Rytha, I told you not to follow me."

Hearts thumping against his ribcage he stepped out from his hiding place, glaive in hand. He'd never disobeyed his companion before. What would he do?

Lorka stood at the top of the stairs, his muscled girth magnified by the heavy armor he wore. A crown of spikes decorated his helm and a long wristblade hung from his arm, its silver surface glinting in the ethereal twilight. "I should have known it is futile to outrun one's shadow. Come. We shall face the darkness together."

Gratitude surged through Rytha as he bounded up the steps and took his place beside Lorka. This was where he belonged. And no amount of kaide sjei'adha would take him from it.

* * *

**~\'/~**

* * *

"Koru, stay in sight. The zaki'ytei will have hatched and those that have not found hosts will search for others."

The younger yautja rolled his eyes inside his mask, waiting for his cautious older cousin to catch up. He was not a pup anymore. Why couldn't he see that?

He let Anu take the lead, trudging behind and examining the obsidian walls with bored indifference, the ancient art lacking the modern flair he preferred in the newer parts of the homeworld's main city. His earlier excitement had been steadily replaced with frustration. What was taking so long? What if there weren't enough kaide sjei'adha and Anu took them all before he had a chance to prove himself?

His older cousin's protectiveness galled him. He was strong. He could take care of himself. He had his own skulls and had even won a few bouts in the kasenja. Why couldn't they split up like everyone else?

Anger burned inside him and he stopped, Anu almost across the chamber when he realized his cousin wasn't right behind him.

"Koru, what's wrong? Why have you stopped?"

"I want to hunt on my own."

Anu growled. "H'ko. We must stay together."

"Why? So you can treat me like a child?"

"I'm responsible for you, Koru. Our clan depends on our survival. We are not allowed the luxury of thinking only of ourselves."

Koru growled. "You always bring up our clan. It's not fair."

"Life isn't fair! Do you think I want to bear the burden of our tribe's future? Do you think I wanted to bring you here?"

"I knew it! You never believed I could do it on my own. You're always holding me back!"

"You're too young to be on your own!"

A howling shriek cut off Koru's retort and the two threiyan turned towards the passage the sound had come from, their quarrel forgotten.

"Is it them?" Koru breathed excitedly.

Anu's grim reply rumbled inside his helm. "Saa. The kaide sjei'adha are here."

* * *

**~\'/~**

* * *

As the last of its skin sloughed off, it felt its bearer's mind touch its own. It cringed beneath its weight, the magnitude of her lifespan overwhelming. She'd endured a thousand hunts, testing the intruders' defenses each time, seeking their weaknesses. They were few and she had failed many, many times. The creature felt its bearer's patience and drew on her strength. They had faced this threat before. And the kaide sjei'adha was no longer a simple drone, freshly burst.

The queen's orders given, she severed the link, withdrawing into herself to focus on her eternal duty of birthing new life.

The creature departed, swiftly scaling the obsidian walls with ease, climbing higher and higher, easily avoiding the foul-smelling invaders. Loud. Destructive. Parasites. It would kill them all. Protect the hive. Protect the queen.

It sensed her new siblings wandering the halls, descending into the depths, attracted by the sweet pheromones of their bearer. Like a banshee's howl, her shrill cry echoed throughout the temple, calling her sisters to her and promising death to their enemies.

Protect the hive. Protect the queen.

Kill everything.

* * *

**~\'/~**

* * *

The echoes of the first cry had barely faded when the squeals of dozens more followed, drawing closer with each breath, the rain of chitinous claws beating down upon him with great speed. Skarn realized his mistake as the howls closed in around him. They appeared suddenly, racing down two corridors, a wave of roiling shadows. He quickly scrolled to ultraviolet, his plasma cannon wailing as it flung bolt after bolt of molten fury at the creatures. Four fell, more kept coming.

He roared, charging to meet the head of the wave.

His razor net took out the first and he spun, slicing through the next with his dual-bladed spear. Skarn whirled and slashed, the kaide sjei'adha circling him hungrily, hissing and squealing, feinting in and out as they tested his defenses. As one, they pounced, his spear locked as one of the creatures purposefully shoved itself onto the end and wrapped itself around the handle.

Skarn roared and thrashed as they dragged him down, howling in pain as their claws ripped off his armor and their tongues punctured flesh and bone. A sonorous wail made them pause and silently they withdrew into the shadows and ceiling.

Blood poured from his broken body and Skarn snarled, lashing at them with his knife in his one good hand. "Come on, you cowards! Finish it! Fight me!"

A large, clawed hand suddenly crushed his chest, the tips digging into his skin. Skarn stilled, overwhelmed by the monster staring down at him. It wasn't possible. This thing wasn't supposed to be a part of their chiva.

The creature gripped the invader's head between its hands, snarling as it opened its fangs to reveal its inner jaws. Bright, sour blood sprayed the floor and it pulled the foul tasting brain into its throat, pleased with the hatchlings' first kill. It hissed at the younger drones and they dragged the fresh carcass away. The hive needed more drones. To get more drones, they needed more bait.

* * *

**~\'/~**

* * *

Anu couldn't pinpoint the source of the howls and he snarled in frustration. A hissing pop made him whirl and his gut clenched in horror as Koru took off his mask. "What are you doing?! Put that back on. The air will kill you!"

Koru ignored him, sniffing the air. "Ul'juska said we shouldn't rely on our masks so much."

"This is different!" Anu hissed.

Koru growled. "Well I smell blood." He pointed down the hall. "That way."

Anu turned to look down the hall, about to snarl that they were already going that way when Koru yelped in surprise.

"Koru!" His cousin fell to the floor, a zaki'ytei wrapped around his throat, finger-like legs clawing at his face as Koru held it off with one hand, its slimy tongue probing for his throat.

"C'jit! Get it off!"

Anu rushed to his side, grabbing the larva carrier and trying to rip it free. But its grip around his cousin's throat was iron tight. He clawed at its tail, desperately trying to shove his fingers between it and Koru's throat. The zaki'ytei squeezed tighter, his cousin slowly losing consciousness, the creature inching closer towards his mouth with each second.

A shriek sounded down the corridor and Anu looked up in time to see a kaide sjei'adha leaping towards him. He fired his plasma caster, the creature's head bursting into a dozen pieces, spattering the wall with gore. Through the acidic smoke Anu detected more of them headed their way. He fired, taking out two more, but it wasn't enough. The last one leapt from the wall and glided towards him across the ground, dark wings outstretched from its lithe body.

Anu jumped, pushing off the wall and twisting his body, plasma bolts burning through the creature as it flew beneath him. It tumbled to the ground in a steaming heap.

He landed on his feet and rushed back to his cousin's side. But he was too late. The zaki'ytei was firmly clasped to his face.

Anu roared, pounding the wall with his fist in rage.

More shrieks answered his howls of grief and he charged down the hall, hacking and slashing at everything and anything.

* * *

**~\'/~**

* * *

It was quiet. And that's what scared him the most.

Tesk crept down the hall, sweat dripping down his cold body. The voices had disappeared and for the first time since he was a child, he was truly alone. He clutched his spear to his chest and closed his eyes. He waited, he didn't know how long, until a cold shiver ran up his spine.

As he opened his eyes, a dark shadow slithered from around the corner. Drool dripped from its snarling fangs as it slowly stalked down the hall towards him. It raised its tail like a scorpion over its head, its secondary mouth pushing through its open jaws and hissing at him.

A smile pricked at his quivering mandibles and Tesk choked back a giggle. But as the creature stalked closer and its tail whipped from side-to-side, he couldn't control himself and burst into a fit of laughter.

The creature shrieked and raced towards him.

Whooping, Tesk fell back, embedding the end of his spear into the stone. The kaide sjei'adha impaled itself on the deadfall, the end of the spear puncturing its stomach and bursting out of its back. Tesk slammed the creature into the ground and then the wall before flinging the creature off the weapon. It skidded down the hallway, leaving a steaming trail of blood in its wake. It writhed and hissed, its tail flailing in the air.

"This is for my mother." Tesk shot its tail off, wriggling appendage flopping against the stone. Two more shots obliterated it.

"And this is for my father. And my grandmother. And my clan!" He fired shot after shot into the wailing monster until nothing was left of it but a smoking crater. He stumbled back, rage and exhilaration coursing through him. He'd done it. He'd killed one. Tesk laughed, tossing his throwing disc at a drone flying towards him. The disc sliced straight through its elongated skull, its head splitting in half as it crumpled to the ground, sliding to a stop at his feet. He leapt over the creature and ran through the temple, whooping and hollering.

He was Tesk. And he was not afraid.

* * *

**~\'/~**

* * *

Gabriel roared and slashed at the kaide sjei'adha. Like smoke it darted aside, leaping and slithering from column to column, trying to flank him. He stumbled and the creature pounced. Sparks flashed in the darkness as its claws grazed his shield, the creature shrieking with fury. Gabriel ducked as it jabbed its tail, the razor-edged tip barely missing his head. Pain arced across some of his tendrils and he smelled his own blood. Fresh blood. He staggered back, his side burning as his wound flared up. The creature's jaws had punctured deep and he'd lost a lot of blood already. The kaide sjei'adha squealed and lunged, Gabriel bashing its black skull aside and slashing with his sword. The creature howled as its left arm fell to the floor, hot blood gushing from its stump.

It leapt onto the wall again, scrambling up it in a desperate attempt to escape. Gabriel grabbed its tail and jerked it down, slicing off one of its legs. He jumped back as acidic blood sprayed the floor and wall, a poisonous mist filling the air as it ate into the ebon stone. The creature writhed within the shallow pit of its own blood, squealing and hissing as it wildly lashed out.

Temptation filled Gabriel. It would be so easy to shoot it. His shoulder cannon whirred to life as its targeting lasers crawled across the creature, the crimson triangle coming to rest on its chest.

No. The elders would be watching. He didn't need anyone doubting his abilities. He had to earn his mark.

The gun chirped and folded itself back against his energy pack. Gabriel unlooped the coil of wire on his belt and tied into a lasso, spinning it in his hands.

As soon as the creature righted itself and raised its tail, Gabriel fired, snapping the noose closed around the end of its tail. It squealed, clawing at the ground as he dragged it towards him. Gabriel snarled and slammed his knife through the tail blade, anchoring the creature to the ground. Too late, the kaide sjei'adha realized it was trapped and turned to fight. Gabriel pounced, crushing it with his weight and shoving its head against the floor. It howled, desperately trying to free its tail. Gabriel unsheathed his sword and lay it across the back of the creature's neck, making sure he angled it away from himself. With a quick slice, he severed its head from its wriggling body.

Gabriel limped to his feet, exhausted. It felt like he'd been fighting for hours. The kaide sjei'adha had ambushed him from above, swooping down in complete silence on their leathery wings. The one that had bit him had escaped, wounded but still alive. The other hadn't been so lucky.

He gathered up his knife and rope, the wire coiling automatically as soon as he attached it to the mechanism on his belt. The corpse sunk into the floor but the head remained. All he had to do now was-

A roar echoed from a passage to the right and Gabriel bolted after it, his kill forgotten. He knew that roar. _Hang on, Sana. _

He followed the howls and squeals, running as fast as he could. He limped up a wide set of stairs, clutching at his side, the wound reopened and blood trickling down his side. He stumbled to his knees at the top, gasping for breath as the world blurred. His lungs burned.

A snarling bellow drew his attention down the tunnel, flaming lavafalls silhouetting his friend as he fought off half-a-dozen kaide sjei'adha, several steaming corpses with holes blown through their heads and torsos lining the pathway.

"Sana," Gabriel growled as he forced himself to stand, fighting off the pain. He threw his head back and roared, charging down the tunnel towards his friend. The distraction worked for a moment, Sana blasting at the creature on his back with his plasma cannon, howling as stray drops not cauterized by the heat sprayed the back of his body.

Two charged Gabriel and he dispatched them with ease, blasting one with his shoulder cannon and slashing the other as he spun around it, splitting it in half with one clean sweep. Sana held off the other four with sheer ferocity, skewering one with his spear and using its body as a shield.

At some unseen signal, the remaining three disengaged from the fight, scampering up the walls and vanishing without a trace.

Sana wavered but held steady, his body smeared with blood from dozens of lacerations and bites. "Y-you… I told you not to follow me."

"I didn't. You're just in my way."

Sana cocked his mask. Then he laughed, tired disbelief echoing inside of Gabriel's helm. "I see." He tore his spear from the dead creature's chest, shaking off its blood before retracting it and sheathing it over his shoulder. "Now what?"

"We have to find the rest. We can't leave until all the drones are dead."

Sana chuckled and Gabriel wondered if the blood loss was affecting his friend more than he let on. "What? No break? They could at least—"

The kaide sjei'adha on the ground suddenly snapped to life, tripping Sana with its tail and pouncing, digging its claws into his flesh as it tried to bite him. Sana roared, barely holding its snapping jaws at bay.

Gabriel dropped his sword and grabbed the creature by the tubular spines growing on its back, ripping it off his friend. The creature squirmed in his arms, clawing at him. Gabriel howled in pain as its tail pierced his thigh. It pushed off of him and flew at Sana. But rather than collide into him, it flapped its incredibly large wings and glided over him. Sana's cry was cut off as its tail wrapped around his throat and pulled him to the ground.

"Sana!"

The creature dove, dragging him off the cliff. The pair disappeared over the edge.

Gabriel limped as fast as he could, stumbling to his knees at the edge. He peered over it, dread thundering in his chest. Relief surged through him as soon as he saw his friend clinging to the side of the wall. Far below, the kaide sjei'adha slowly dissolved in the lake of lava, truly dead at last.

Gabriel lay on the ground and stretched out his hand. "Sana! Take my hand!"

Sana growled as he struggled to keep his footing, his bloody hands struggling to hold onto the smooth angles of the dark stone. "H'ko! I don't need your help and I don't want your help, Gesh. Go away!"

"You stubborn sekfet, give me your hand!"

"H'ko!"

"Daka! Is your pride worth your life? You've earned your mark! Are you going to throw that away?"

Sana was silent. Gabriel could tell that each passing second drained strength his friend didn't have.

"Sana, answer me!"

His friend looked up at him and fear clutched Gabriel's hearts. He stretched out his arm, straining to reach him, while his other arm scrambled for his rope wire.

"Sana!"


	9. The Black Temple

**The Black Temple**

* * *

Gabriel fumbled for the coil of wire rope around his belt as he reached for Sana. Scalding heat billowed up from the gurgling molten lake, searing his skin as he stretched himself over the cliff edge. Sana struggled to keep his grip, sliding several inches down, his hands and arms trembling from exertion. "Why, Gesh? Why are you doing this?"

"Because" — Gabriel snapped the rope free — "you're my friend."

"I don't understand…"

Gabriel pulled back from the cliff, stabbing his sword into the black stone and tying one end of the silvery wire around the hilt. He gathered the body of the rope around his hands, bracing himself as he tossed the rest over the edge. "You don't have to. Just grab the sjaaran rope before you fall and burn to death!"

Sana hesitated, the rope brushing against him as it swung back and forth. With a deep snarl he stretched out his arm and grabbed the rope.

Gabriel growled in pain, digging his sandaled feet into the shallow holes that the kaide sjei'adha's blood had furrowed. Sana struggled up the rope, each tug and pull slicing into Gabriel's palms and fingers. As he neared the top, Gabriel roared and pulled him over the edge, collapsing as soon as Sana was safely over the edge. They both laid there for several moments against the cool stone, their shallow breaths echoing inside their masks.

Sana was the first to drag himself upright, Gabriel slowly sitting up. His friend crouched next him and they both examined Gabriel's hands. It wasn't good.

"Your hands are shredded."

Gabriel was grateful his mask hid his winces as he peeled the wire from the bloody lines crisscrossing his palms. The wire had almost cut him to the bone. "I've had worse." His stomach clenched in pain as he tried to make a fist, searing pain shooting up his arms.

Sana huffed but said nothing.

He waited for Gabriel, giving him some space and watching at the top of the stairs for anymore drones.

Gabriel sucked in several ragged breaths as the wire rope snapped to his belt, his hands shaking. Blood coated his palms and slid down his arms, dripping off his elbows as he held them up to examine them. Sana was right. His hands were practically useless. But they weren't done yet. Kaide sjei'adha still roamed the black temple.

His sword gleamed in the firelight a few paces away. Taking a deep breath, he stood and limped towards it. Gingerly, he curled his hand around the black leather handle, hissing in pain as his hand closed around it. With a growl, he ripped it from the ground. He shuddered, the pain nearly taking his breath away. But he held firm, sheathing the blade and reuniting with Sana.

They wandered the stygian halls, occasionally discovering remnants of ancient battles. For Gabriel, it reminded him too much of the rusty fangs of the Red Labyrinth, the place swallowing him whole before spitting him out and leaving him to die. The only difference was that this time he was stronger. He hoped his luck held. He'd heard too many stories of threiyans nearly completing their chiva only to perish at the last moment.

"Where are we going?" he asked as Sana stopped to study the map on his wrist computer.

"The breeding chamber is usually located in a large room with only one entrance. I've narrowed it down to several possibilities."

Gabriel glanced at the pulsing beacons scattered throughout the holographic temple, holding back a tired sigh at how far apart they were.

A clicking chuckle snapped them to attention and their targeting lasers swept the hall as they scanned for enemies.

"Up here."

The looked up, Tesk staring at them upside down from a hole in the ceiling, his dreadlocks hanging from his grinning face.

"Tesk!"

Sana snorted and crossed his arms.

The skinny yautja dropped from the hole and rolled to his feet. "Sana is wrong."

Gabriel chittered as Sana growled at the perceived insult. "And you know where the breeding chamber is?"

"Saa!" He looped an arm around Gabriel's shoulders and leaned in, whispering as he pointed. "It's up there."

Sana growled again. "Up? Kaide sjei'adha burrow, they do not nest."

"These do."

"How do you know?" asked Gabriel.

"I saw them dragging Anu away. There's a central shaft they use to move between levels. Very useful."

A grim dread filled Gabriel. He may not have liked the uptight bastard, but Anu's clan was on the line. And where was Koru? "We need to go up."

To Gabriel's surprise, Sana did not argue. "Fine."

"Tesk, lead the way."

"Saa, we'll take the stairs though. Less slippery," he replied as he jogged ahead of them.

The pair followed, Gabriel clicking thoughtfully.

"What?"

"Does Tesk seem…"

"Crazy?"

"Different."

"Tesk is Tesk. He is always different."

Gabriel sighed softly and ended his line of thought. Either Sana didn't see it or he was uncomfortable talking about another yautja actually being afraid. He wondered if his friend had ever been afraid. Even when he'd been hanging over a boiling pit of lava he hadn't seemed afraid, more concerned with his honor than his life. The last time Gabriel had saved him he'd been furious. Now he was unusually calm.

Tesk suddenly skidded around the corner and slammed into the wall. "Wrong way! Wrong way!" He sprinted down the hall, shoving past them. Gabriel and Sana shared a confused look. Then the shrieks and howls began.

The pair bolted after Tesk, Gabriel looking back in time to see dozens of kaide sjei'adha pour from the adjacent hall. Their onyx bodies covered the floor, ceiling and walls. It was as if the stone itself had come alive, roiling with anger and hunger.

"This way!" shouted Tesk as they burst into a large chamber, the high ceiling lost in the darkness. A spiral staircase twisted from the center of the room and up into the inky shadows, crimson rays of light bleeding into the room from a small opening at the top. Gabriel pushed Sana to go first. The yautja snarled in disagreement but was smart enough not to stop and argue. Tesk was already several stories above them, firing off rounds from his cannon and picking off the lead runners. The horde circled the stairs and chased after them, easily climbing the slippery stone. Gabriel hacked and slashed at any that got too close, but most slithered just out of his range, hissing and snapping their double mouths as they swarmed behind them.

As they neared the top of the spiraling stairs the swarm stilled, watching them escape through the opening. Gabriel slowed as he stepped into the hot vermilion light, confused. _Something's wrong,_ he thought as he slowly climbed up the last few steps. "Sana. Tesk. They've stopped following. Why—"

"Look out!" A hand grabbed Gabriel by his armor and jerked him down just before a kaide sjei'adha swooped down and dug its claws into him. It soared past, its banshee howl carrying on the scorching wind.

"Move!" shouted Tesk as several more screamed down from the smoldering sky. Gabriel followed Tesk, bolting for cover behind one of the large columns that circled the top of the temple. The roof was covered in oily, black vines that squelched beneath their feet, the roots spiraling from the base of an object that might have once been a statue. The thing was now covered with noxious tendrils from top to bottom, transformed it into a nightmarish growth that resembled a rotting flower. Surrounding this monstrosity were dozens of leathery eggs, several shivering and peeling open in response to their presence. Gabriel watched the larvae carriers wriggle and flail inside their slimy cocoons, their finger-like appendages testing the eggs' edges like feelers. The oily vines spread from the dark monolith and up several pillars, rakhari glued to their sides. Most were dead, their chest cavities ripped open.

Plasma beams streaked through the air from beneath a broken pillar, killing one of the creatures and scattering the rest. The trio ducked under the fallen column, Lorka roaring insults as he fired shot after shot into the creatures circling above them.

"Suyet'de! Stay still so I can kill you!"

Gabriel and Sana joined in, destroying anything that drew near their holdout.

Lorka snarled and caught a zaki'ytei leaping for his face, ripping the creature in half with his bare hands.

"What's going on?!" shouted Gabriel over the wail of plasma.

Lorka tossed the two halves of the creature aside. "They're using us as bait."

"Bait?"

Lorka pointed to the top of the pillars. "They hunt us down, drag our corpses to the top of the columns and then the rakhari come to feed on our bodies. That's when the drones catch them. The stupid beasts finally understood what was going on and fled. Now they're sending out scouts to hunt them down and bring them back to the nest."

"How many threiyan are dead?"

"Everyone not here. It's an assumption, of course. I only saw Yun and Zash get dragged up."

"Where's Rytha?"

Lorka turned to look behind him for a moment and Gabriel followed his gaze. The red-haired yautja lay unconscious against a broken piece of stone, one of his arms missing. "They swarmed us. Overpowered us in a matter of seconds. I woke up when they were dragging us towards the columns and slew them. We've been holed up here ever since." He growled. "I've made sure they regret not killing me as soon as they could."

More and more eggs were starting to open and Gabriel could hear skittering around their makeshift base. Squeals made him turn to look back, and he caught sight of Tesk methodically pouncing on newly hatched zaki'ytei and stabbing them. Gabriel noticed he wasn't taking any tails.

"We need to find a way down," said Gabriel when the kaide sjei'adha peeled away. "It's too open."

"There is no way down."

Lorka and Gabriel looked over at Sana.

"Do none of you see it? We're trapped. It's only a matter of time till they come pouring through that hole and overwhelm us."

"There has to be another way."

Lorka shook his head. "H'ko, Gesh. Sana's right. Every side is a sheer wall. You will only find a dishonorable death that way."

Gabriel growled in frustration, pain shooting up his arm as his grip on his sword tightened.

Tesk, oblivious to the bleakness of their situation, cackled and began firing rounds into the eggs and larvae carriers, blasting them into steaming bits of pulp and gore.

A shrieking howl thundered from the chamber below, its fury echoing across the valley. The skittering claws of the zaki'ytei disappeared and the eggs that had begun to open closed their petals. The silence left in its wake was almost tangible.

The whine of plasma casters recharging pierced the ominous quiet as the threiyan crept out from under the broken column, Gabriel's pain as he gripped his sword nullified by the adrenaline shooting through his veins. Shrieks and snarls clambered from below, the chatter of claws beating against stone as the horde rushed to the surface.

"What was that?"

Lorka growled, his voice grim. "That is Death."

Kaide sjei'adha poured into the sky, swirling around the edges of the temple. Their wings blotted out the light from the distant volcanoes and their clamoring shrieks pierced the air. Another roar thundered from below and a large arm burst from the shadowed depths, its massive claws digging into the hard stone. Gleaming white fangs followed by a flared crest slide forth, the creature's elegant body ascending from the inky depths. Rising to its full height with its long, sinuous tail flowing behind it, the creature set its eyeless gaze on the stunned threiyan and curled its trembling lips back in an angry sneer.

"By the gods," breathed Sana. "A praetorian."

Lorka growled. "I don't care if it's the queen herself, we're taking this sekfet down. Prime your cannons!"

The invaders sought to destroy it with the howling fire. It spread its wings and soared into the sky, roaring as it commanded the drones to attack. As one, they dove towards the invaders, talons and fangs outstretched. All were prepared to die for the hive. No other thought entered their minds. The praetorian did not allow it.

Gabriel's plasma gun whirred to life as he aimed his targeting system at the swirling vortex of screaming death. Bolts of molten fury blasted into the head of the swarm, but they were all quickly overwhelmed.

Gabriel leapt out of the way as the body of a kaide sjei'adha came tumbling out of the sky, the ground hissing as the creature's blood splattered across it. He bashed aside the drooling jaws of one monster with his shield and stabbed another in the head.

"Stay together! Don't let them separate us!" roared Lorka as he speared a creature through the chest and slashed another across the face with his wristblades. Razor discs flew through the air as Tesk danced through the swarm, his spear slicing through wings and limbs overhead. Sana flung the body of a kaide sjei'adha into the swarm, the dead creature crashing into several of its kin. The sheer amount of blood pooling across the wet ground forced them back towards the swollen monolith at the center of the roof.

The praetorian observed the battle from its perch atop one of the columns, shrieking orders as the remaining kaide sjei'adha regrouped for the next attack.

The respite gave Gabriel time to feel the wounds he hadn't been aware of during the frenzied melee and as he looked around, he could tell the others were just as tired.

With a bellowing howl, the praetorian ordered the next wave and as one the kaide sjei'adha tucked their wings against their bodies and dove, gliding low across the ground like a dark flood. They hit fast and hard, knocking Gabriel off his feet and dragging him several meters away from the group. It was a blur of talons, teeth and blood as Gabriel thrashed and writhed, desperate to get to his feet.

Sana tried to follow but one of the creatures cut him off, flaring its wings and jabbing at him with its inner mouth.

Gabriel held his shield over his face, blocking hungry fangs as they snapped at his head. Claws ripped his sword from his hand and slashed at his abdomen, the air filled with hissing shrieks.

Chitin suddenly cracked as a pair well-muscled legs landed on one of the creatures, a bellowing roar startling Gabriel's two other assailants.

Through a tangle of limbs Gabriel caught a glimpse of Anu, bloodied and bruised, as he grabbed a kaide sjei'adha by the throat and ripped out its fanged tongue. The distraction was all he needed. Gabriel unsheathed one of his knives and slashed at the remaining creature, rolling to his feet as it dodged the strike. A beam of plasma punched a hole through its head, Anu's cannon whining as it searched for other targets.

The praetorian roared and the drones' attack suddenly ceased, the creatures scattering and disappearing behind columns and down into the chamber below.

Gabriel picked his sword up off the ground, wondering what the praetorian had in store for them next. He kept the menacing creature in the corner of his eye as he glanced over at Anu, amazed that the yautja was still alive. Slime dripped from his arms and legs, but other than a deep slash across his back he appeared to be fine.

"Anu…"

His pack brother didn't seem to hear him, his golden eyes completely focused on the praetorian glaring down at them from its high perch.

Soundlessly, it spread its wings, black shadows that blotted out the boiling clouds above. Lightning ominously crackled overhead, striking one of the four towers of the temple and blinding Gabriel for a moment. Thunder exploded around them, followed by a roar.

Gabriel whirled around in time to see the creature's outstretched talons ensnare Lorka, the praetorian slamming him to the ground. The large yautja bellowed as the creature's claws dug into his flesh, its winged limbs ripping off his plasma cannon and tossing it aside.

Gabriel didn't think as he climbed up the chitinous monolith, the rest of the threiyan rushing in to take on this new threat. As he reached the top, the praetorian lashed its tail, bashing Sana across the chest and sending him tumbling across the fibrous ground. The creature hissed and several drones slithered from their hiding places, hungrily circling Sana as he struggled to to recover from the powerful blow.

"Tesk, help Sana!" Gabriel ordered as he targeted the snarling maw of the praetorian.

Anu easily leapt over the creatures tail, hurling his spear as soon as he landed, the entire moment one fluid motion. His spear pierced the creature's chest, blood pouring from the wound as it angrily ripped it out and flung it away. The praetorian reared its head, the long sacs running along its neck swelling with acid. With a howling shriek, it sprayed the caustic liquid, Anu barely escaping the deadly torrent. But he wasn't fast enough to completely elude the creature's wrath. Stray droplets ate through flesh and armor, the young warrior howling as the burning liquid sizzled all over his body, wisps of steam rising off him as skin and blood rapidly dissolved.

The distraction taken care of, the praetorian returned its attention to Lorka, still struggling to break free from its iron grip.

Gabriel locked onto its head, his plasma cannon whirring as it primed. Warning sigils suddenly squawked inside his helm, several error messages running across his visor. His weapon powered off, unable to respond. C'jit! His weapon must have become damaged during his fight a moment ago.

Below, the praetorian was gleefully drooled over Lorka, showing him its fanged tongue before rearing its head back and pulling its inner jaw into the depths of its mouth, preparing for the killing blow. Lorka roared defiantly, chanting the last rites of a warrior preparing to face Cetanu.

The praetorian lunged.

Blood sprayed the obsidian ground, hissing as it ate into the stone. The creature squealed, stumbling back and writhing as it clawed at the painful barb that had pierced its skull.

Gabriel notched another arrow and fired, the silver bolt penetrating the praetorian's thick crest.

Sensing their leaders' pain, the remaining drones burst forth.

This was their last stand. There was no room for doubts, the past, the future or the desire to live. There was only the fury, his ancestors' blood singing through his veins as Gabriel roared, leaping into the air and smashing into the flared crest of the praetorian. He grabbed the top edge and swung himself onto the creatures back, gripping one its spines as the creature bucked and writhed. Futilely, it clawed at him, lashing at him with its barbed tail. Gabriel ignored its frustrated flailing, unsheathing his sword and stabbing it into the back of its elongated skull, no longer protected by its thick crest.

The praetorian flung its head back let loose a piercing wail.

Triumph filled Gabriel as it shuddered and wobbled from side-to-side.

With a hissing snarl the creature suddenly bolted, racing across the roof of the temple. Kaide sjei'adha snapped at him from above as they flew by, shrieking as they swooped past him. Gravity disappeared and Gabriel clung to one of the long tubes protruding from the praetorian's back, the blacks walls of the temple rushing past in a shadowy blur as the creature plunged towards the ash plains.

The praetorian howled in rage and pain, bucking and spinning as it tried to dislodge him. Gabriel hacked and slashed at the drones following them, stabbing the larger creature whenever he got the chance. The praetorian whirled and dove, screaming in pain as Gabriel sliced at one its wings, shredding the delicate webbing and digging into bone.

The creature faltered, clawing at the air as it lost altitude. Gabriel wrapped his arms around the creature's spine as they tumbled towards the ground, the world a whirlwind of chitin and lava.

Gabriel leapt off right before impact, rolling as soon as his toes touched the ashen soil. The praetorian wasn't so lucky. Chitin cracked and plumes of poisonous ash filled the hot air as the creature crumpled and slid across the ground, coming to a rest at the edge of a searing river of lava. In fact, as Gabriel quickly took stock of his surroundings, they were completely surrounded by swift moving rivers of molten rock. The heat was already overwhelming his cooling net, his skin bristling and dreadlocks contracting in pain. He began to limp towards the center of the small island when his tendrils prickled in warning.

Gabriel threw himself to the ground, the kaide sjei'adha's claws just missing him. The creature shrieked in frustration and climbed back into the sky, wheeling around for a second strike. Quickly notching an arrow, Gabriel fired, the silver bolt piercing its frontal lobe. The drone's wing beats faltered and then it fell, plunging into one of the boiling rivers. He fired volley after volley at the other two as they screamed towards him, downing one and injuring the other. The surviving drone hissed but decided to retreat, furiously beating its wings to gain altitude and escape.

Gabriel snarled and reached for another arrow - his hand grabbed nothing but air. He was out of arrows. He watched the drone fly back to the temple, angered that his prey was out of his reach and wondering how his pack brothers were faring. Blurred by the wall of heat, the temple wavered and danced above the mournful plains, a living shadow. He detected nothing through his visor and his comm was useless at this distance.

Heat sensors began flashing inside his helm, his sweat evaporating faster than he could produce it. The cooling net was actually starting to overheat. Scorching winds suddenly blasted him and he cried out, falling to the ground as it seared his flesh. His bloody hands burned as they ripped off his metal armor, his skin beginning to roast beneath it. He tossed everything aside, even his cooling net, until all that was left were his sandals, loincloth, mask and sword, whose hilt was thankfully bound in leather.

It was sweltering beneath his mask, but he didn't dare remove it. The hot, poisonous air would kill him in minutes.

A sibilant hiss made him freeze, grim disbelief filling him as he turned to face the monstrosity that refused to die.

Slowly, the praetorian rose to its feet, clouds of mist trailing from its broken body as it clawed its way up the bank's edge. It swayed as it approached him, the need to kill overwhelming its urge to survive. What had gone wrong? It had overwhelmed and killed all but one of the strongest invaders, sending a trio of drones after the weaker ones. But somehow they survived. So it had forced them above, cornered them and then pounced on the strongest. So why was it here, in pain, instead of tearing into the invaders and feeding their corpses to their prey?

Blood dripped from the praetorian's mouth, the wing the invader had sliced dragging at its side. The heat was agony, the blood seeping from its gaping wounds simmering. It could not sense the hive, their voices and thoughts far away. The creature before it, the one that had hurt it, raised its weapon. The praetorian snarled as it staggered towards the creature challenging it.

Kill it. Tear it apart. Make it scream. Protect the hive. Protect the queen.

As Gabriel waited for the creature to draw closer, he wondered how many of his kind had died because of a hunt gone wrong. How many worlds had been sacrificed because of an ancient tradition and a culture steeped in cruelty and violence? Despite the blood lust rising within him, Gabriel ignored the snarling beast clawing at its cage. He now understood what he felt that day he and Sana had killed the feyari.

Disappointment.

Kill, eat and kill again.

He was no different than the kaide sjei'adha limping towards him.

The praetorian loomed over him, blood dripping from its snarling jaws. The cool liquid hissed as it stung the ground, spattering at Gabriel's feet. His sword hung at his side. He didn't even have to hold it anymore - the heat had fused his bleeding hand to the hilt. Alarms blared inside his helm as the filtration system failed. With a flick of his mandible, he snapped off all sensors, leaving only his natural sight. Gabriel shrugged off the energy pack on his shoulder, relieved as the heavy object disappeared. He hefted his sword, pulling his arm back and holding it parallel to the ground, just as Ul'juska had shown him. After months of practice and drills, his body instinctively turned sideways, knees bent and arm extended.

Gabriel's vision began to blur, his lungs burning as the toxic, bone-dry air began to seep into his helm. His enemy hovered silently above him, a murky shadow against the hellish background. The image reminded him of the black warrior he'd seen in Eladoro years ago. _You again... _

The praetorian hissed and reared back its head.

_Not this time. This time…_

The creature lunged, its two mouths screaming as they barreled towards him.

Gabriel jumped aside as it crashed face-first into the ground. He rolled to his feet and darted back towards the praetorian. _This time I refuse to die!_

Stunned the creature lifted its head, searching for its prey. Protect the hive. Protect the qu—

With a roar, Gabriel severed its head, the black skull sliding away from the base of its flared crest. For a moment the body hung in the air. Then, slowly, it fell to the ground with a shuddering thump.

Gabriel heaved several ragged breaths as he stumbled back away from the large pool of blood pouring from the creature's exposed brain, his chest on fire. He fell to his knees and tore off his mask, retching bile and world transformed into a sea of red. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't breathe.

"_Nana… I… can't… 'reathe... I can't." Gabriel gasped. He grabbed the hem of his mother's white coat, tugging on it with what meager strength he had left. But she did nothing, staring at her computer as if he wasn't even there. A dark visage swallowed the room, silver eyes glinting in the smothering void._

"_Y-you… What do you want? Go away. Get away from her!"_

_The dark warrior stretched out its coal-black fist until it was inches from Gabriel's face, taunting him with his silence._

"_What is it?"_

_The hand slowly uncurled, revealing its secret._

"_No!" Gabriel roared. "How did you get that?!" _

_A hand slid under his shoulder, lifting him away the scene. He thrashed, snarling at the dark warrior as he faded from sight._

A sharp pain stabbed his gut and Gabriel vomited sour, yellow liquid. Immediately, his head began to clear. The arm beneath his shoulder continued to pull him forward and Gabriel looked up to see Ul'juska.

"Sanja?"

"Hush," he growled from behind his mask. "You've breathed in a great deal of poison." His teacher hauled him up the ramp and into the bright, cool light of the clan ship, warriors stamping their spears in salute as he limped by.

"Sana… Tesk…"

Ul'juska said nothing as he handed the boy over to the two medics waiting inside the ship. He watched him stumble away, the healers practically carrying him. The shock still hadn't worn off. Watching his students take on an entire hive and a praetorian had been a painful and proud moment. The creature had quickly killed three of his best students and used them as bait. Anger burned inside his hearts at the memory of their bodies being dragged up the to the top of the pillars and left to be ripped apart by hungry beasts.

Although Lorka had managed to escape the same fate and keep the beasts at bay, it wasn't until the eccentric triage had arrived that the tide of battle had turned.

Ul'juska shook his head, smiling as he recalled his master's words: Victory cannot be certain as long as there is fool left standing who does not understand that he is defeated.

Gesh's reckless action to take the praetorian head on had silenced the room of doubters and critics. Then, with one fell swoop of his sword, had converted them into howling believers.

_Did you hear their roars_, _brother? They were for your son._

The doors sealed shut as the ship silently lifted away from the hellish island, the pilots heading for the temple. Ul'juska nodded to his blooded students as they took their places by the entrance. Together they would greet their new brothers. Or collect their bodies.


	10. The Valiant

**The Valiant**

* * *

The room throbbed in time with the clash of a hundred spears as Gabriel and his surviving pack brothers made their way to the center of the ceremonial chamber, the once bare room now lined with fluttering banners representing each clan. Roaring bonfires spilled waves of dancing light over the ceiling, the kaleidoscopic colors slowly raining back down as they cooled. Incense, spices and fresh meat filled Gabriel's mouth, his tongue tingling with dozens of mouthwatering and pleasing scents.

Just as before, they fanned out into a semi-circle around their sanja, his normally sullen features replaced with a fierce and infectious pride that surged through his students. He raised his hand and the drumming instantly ceased. "Like your ancestors, you have become strong. You have stared death in the face and lived, returning to your people as honorable warriors. Kneel!"

Gabriel knelt, his hearts thundering in anticipation, the nightmare of several days ago already fading into disjointed memories.

"Some of your brothers faced death and passed into the next realm. Do not mourn for them. They have joined the eternal hunt and will one day return," Ul'juska growled. "Someday you will join them. But not today. Today, you will live!"

The surrounding host thundered their spears in the ritual affirmation. _Thoom!_

"Today, you will triumph!"

_Thoom!_

"Today... you will be blooded!"

_Thoom!_

Ul'juska took a kaide sjei'adha claw and an urn full of blood as he approached the first student to receive his mark. "Rytha."

The grim-faced youth raised his head and met his sanja's eyes. What remained of his left arm had been implanted with several neural connectors in preparation for his cybernetic arm. If he felt any pain, he did not show it.

"You are silent and patient, a true hunter. But your real virtue is your unflinching devotion to your chosen path." Ul'juska drew his symbol upon the center of his brow, a vertical dash surrounded on either side by two flared lines. "I name you Seyeiru, the loyal."

The red-haired yautja bowed his head and Ul'juska moved on to his next student. "Anu, you have diligently trained night and day to protect your clan and restore your line's honor. Where others have fallen, you have remained steadfast. I name you Kachande, the enduring."

Tesk was next in line. He grinned up at his sanja as if this were some sort of game or inside joke the two were sharing. Tesk's smile melted as soon as Ul'juska dipped the black talon into the blood, his body trembling. Gabriel could hear him muttering, arguing with himself to stay still. Their sanja's strong voice stilled him. "Tesk, this was not the first time you faced the black serpents. You, more than anyone, understood what you would face during the trials. It is a testament to your lineage that you have not only survived both encounters, but that you have also matured into a highly skilled warrior." He smirked. "Where some call you… eccentric, I see a quick mind and sharp eyes. I name you Okute, the cunning."

To his credit, Tesk managed to remain still long enough for Ul'juska to mark him. Once his teacher moved on, he tucked his head between his arms and legs, his claws digging into his tendrils.

"Sana." The student and master locked eyes, sharing several heartbeats of silence. Ul'juska rumbled and dipped the black talon into the blood. "You have grown much over the past few years. If you pursue your path with the same dedication and resolve, nothing will be able to stand in your way. May honor guide your footsteps, Djesharu the Disciplined."

A smile pricked at Gabriel's mandibles. Ul'juska had singled out Sana, purposefully changing the naming ritual and using a phrase reserved for veteran warriors. He wished he could see the elders' faces during the ceremony, especially Sana's clan.

"Lorka, you are a natural leader. You rallied your brothers in the final battle and defied death to the end. Tempered with wisdom, you will become a great warrior that others depend on and respect. I name you Taikonde, the strong."

Gabriel's hearts pounded against his ribcage as Ul'juska's sandaled feet came into view. What would his new name be, he wondered as he looked up into his sanja's yellow eyes. Despite his master's pleased disposition, he still carried the same fierce aura, his hair pulled back into a top knot to show off the scars running down the side of his face and neck. "Gesh, you are not the strongest, the smartest nor the wisest of your brothers. Yet despite your inexperience, you have proven yourself worthy. You defied expectations and fought with courage. For being strong of will and spirit, I name you Zaiyende, the valiant."

Steam hissed as the kaide sjei'adha's blood burned his skin, each mark sending spikes of agony across his scalp. Gabriel gritted his fangs and held firm, his sanja's words of affirmation resonating within his hearts.

The crowd roared once the ceremony was complete, Ul'juska bidding them to rise. "You are now men! Turn and face your people with heads held high."

The host roared even louder, spears thundering and fists raised in approval. Gabriel caught H'darak's gaze, the arbiter's mandibles pulled back in a sly smirk. Gabriel was about to go greet him when Taikonde's swarthy bulk stepped in front of him. He unleashed a bellowing laugh and shook Gabriel's shoulder. "Where do you think you're going?" His pack brothers and the rest of Ul'juska's blooded students surrounded him and dragged him to the nearest fire, demanding to know how he killed the praetorian.

By the fifth retelling and an equal number of drinks, Gabriel had managed to turn his desperate act into a heroic epic. He'd just finished another retelling when a hand clapped onto his shoulder and a deep, familiar growl greeted the elder warriors seated around the fire. "My apologies, but I'm afraid I must steal my student from your company." Drunken, friendly barbs were traded as Ul'juska led Gabriel away to a quiet corner.

Gabriel swayed, feeling incredibly elated and tired all at once. Hot food filled his stomach. Sana and Tesk had survived. And soon he would be going home. His sanja crossed his arms and surveyed the rowdy celebration, a few friendly brawls breaking out every now and then. "I still can't believe you survived, Gev'riel."

A bit of sobriety stirred Gabriel. Ul'juska had used his intimate name. Should he be offended? He mustered up a slurred growl and clenched his fist.

Ul'juska chuckled at his bravado. "Saa, I suppose I should tell you the truth now. Or do you still want to fight me?"

The truth. Gabriel's aggression instantly melted, his sanja's offense forgotten. "You mean about my parents?"

"Saa. You are blooded now and it is your right to know." He sighed, tapping his chin with a finger as he decided how to begin. "A long time ago, I had a foolish brother. We were trained in the sword by the same master, Draktha, who was ultimately executed for heresy. His beliefs however, did not die with him. They remained in my brother's hearts, festering until one day he fell for a female he could not have. Nayadhi, a rajara and heir to the matriarch of the Fire Spitters clan."

"Whether it was his charm or looks, she too fell for him and agreed to run away to the new world he'd learned about from our master. On this world it was said that yautja were free to bond with who they wished and believe in whatever gods they chose. Of course, no one knew where exactly the world was and my brother had searched for many years, collecting rumors and legends. He eventually joined a crew with other rogues and wanderers and plowed the stars, fighting enemy yautja and looting their ships and worlds for skulls and treasure. He explored much of the galaxy and always returned with stories so fantastic most thought they were made up."

Ul'juska pressed his knuckles into his forehead, growling. "I should have tried harder to dissuade him. But he was so determined, so… so…" He snarled and ran his hand over his scalp.

Gabriel didn't interrupt, soaking in every word. He felt sick and excited at the same time. He would finally have his answers

Ul'juska huffed and re-crossed his arms. "Naturally, their bond was a secret, Nayadhi purposefully making her body refuse her suitors' seed each mating cycle in hopes that eventually the matriarch would choose a new heir. A dangerous plan. Which I told him after I discovered that he was sneaking off to see her. If anyone else found out, they would both be killed."

He growled, pacing slightly. "After several cycles, their luck ran out. Nayadhi conceived a child. My brother's child. The next mating season wasn't for another two cycles and no one would believe the child belonged to any of the males she'd coupled with. I tried to convince my brother into having the thing discarded. Any offspring born outside the mating season would likely be frail and sickly, doomed to be an aseinan — if it was even allowed to live." Ul'juska shook his head. "But the fool refused. He said he'd protect Nayadhi even if I did not help him. We fought, but… he'd always been the better swordsman. As I lay there, bleeding and pissed, I knew my stupid little brother couldn't flee our planet without my help." Ul'juska fell silent, Gabriel watching the emotions flicker across his sanja's tired face.

"I... helped smuggle them off-planet and for that I was branded a korvakra and thrown into the Pits, tortured for information about my brother's whereabouts. Although, I'd been smart enough not to ask where they'd planned to go, I knew too much. I spent… weeks in that hellhole." He unwrapped the leather bindings around his hands, revealing the brand marks burned into their backs and palms. Gabriel stared at the gnarled scars, a deep slash running through each of them. The cuts looked recent, the scabs swollen and thick.

"The arbiters marked me a traitor, sparing my life only because of the enormous tribute my family paid to the Fire Spitters."

"Tribute?"

"Precious metals, territory… daughters. My life wasn't worth such a price. Of course, our family's and clan's honor didn't have to be sacrificed in the first place. If that selfish bastard had just…" Ul'juska clenched his trembling fists. After several moments, he released a shaky breath, slowly uncurling his claws. "But all that is in the past. Thanks to you, I am free. The arbiters will remove my name from our tribe's blacklist and I can finally continue on with my life."

"Me? What did I do?"

"You passed the trial. You restored honor to our line and proved you are worthy."

"'Our?'"

Ul'juska clicked and raised one of his brows. "Zaiyende, I know you are not the brightest of my students but you're not that dense, are you?"

"I just need to hear you say it. I didn't even know my own mother's name until today."

His sanja's expression softened slightly. "Very well, but I will break my vow just this once. I swore I'd never utter my brother's name again." He took a deep breath. "I am your uncle. Nayadhi was your mother and my brother…" He gritted his fangs, biting off the last few words. "Tuchonde, was your father."

Gabriel's throat constricted, his hands burning as them into clenched his fists to keep from chirping with happiness like a child. _Uncle._ So he did have family. Ul'juska, harsh as he was, had been looking out for him all along, even training him in the same art both he and his father had learned. "I have so many questions."

Ul'juska rolled his eyes. "You always do." He held up his hand, stopping Gabriel as his fangs spread. "And I will answer them all. But we must trade first. You must tell me the truth now." He yellow eyes darkened. "What happened to my foolish brother?"

An image of Nayadhi on the vid feed flashed before his eyes, the flatline blaring as her hearts stopped, followed by his weak cries as his mother pulled him from her bleeding abdomen. "They... crashed."

"I know." Ul'juska growled. "I made sure to track their ship. It was one of the best. I accumulated more debt and favors than I could afford," he rumbled bitterly.

Gabriel noticed H'darak watching them, his hackles prickling in warning. If the arbiter interfered, neither of them would get their answers.

"Was it the arbiters?"

Gabriel shook his head. "It was a yautja from another world."

His sanja's eyes narrowed. "Another world?"

H'darak was making his way through the crowd and any hope Gabriel had of learning the full story was quickly disappearing. "Saa. He attacked their ship and they crashed. My father tried to fight him but…"

Some Ul'juska's anger evaporated. "So he's dead. But then that would mean… what happened to Nayadhi?"

"She—"

"That's enough, Zaiyende."

Gabriel wilted under his former mentor's stern gaze. It infuriated him that H'darak could order him about so easily. But what choice did he have? He was a threita and the arbiter leagues beyond him in skill and rank.

Ul'juska stepped between them, standing toe-to-toe with the arbiter. "Back off, H'darak. I have a right to know what happened after all these years, especially after you dumped Nayadhi's brat on my ship without a word of warning or respect."

The arbiter chuckled, unfazed by the warrior's threatening stance. "Look at you, Athende. One day of freedom and you're already challenging an arbiter."

The pair snarled at each other, their bitter musk starting to attract attention.

"Um, H'darak," Gabriel quietly clicked.

Both of his sanjas growled at him to be silent and something snapped inside of him. He'd survived a horde of kaide sjei'adha. What the hell was he afraid of? Gabriel shoved both of them apart, growling at them. "You're both acting like children!" He turned to face H'darak, glaring and doing his best to hold steady as the room spun. "This is Thunder Fists business and none of your concern."

H'darak grabbed him by the throat. "Do you have a death wish, boy?"

"Do you?" growled Ul'juska. "You're attracting the wrong kind of attention, _Ichande._"

The arbiter glanced behind him. Many had scented the altercation and neither the Fire Spitters nor the Thunder Fists looked pleased. H'darak huffed. "So I am." He released Gabriel, who stumbled back into Ul'juska. "But don't say I didn't warn you. There are some answers you don't want to hear, Athende."

Gabriel rubbed his throat as he watched his mentor walk away. He felt like he was going to throw up. Ul'juska rumbled. "Sly bastard."

"He scares the c'jit out of me."

His sanja huffed. "Arbiters are a serious bunch. If they had their way, they would rule Dhazar'yin instead of the elders."

"What's stopping them?"

"The code. For now, at least." Ul'juska guided him near a bonfire, the warm, dancing flames soothing. His sanja folded his arms, watching the white and yellow flames writhe. "So tell me, what was the arbiter trying to hide?"

Gabriel rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly unsure of what to say. Telling Tesk was one thing. Telling a yautja you just learned was your uncle and that he'd sworn a lifelong grudge against his runaway father was something else entirely.

"Saa… the uh, the warrior… after he killed Tuchon— my father, he went into the ship and stabbed my mother, leaving her to die. She was still pregnant with me."

Ul'juska clicked in surprised. "And she survived?"

Gabriel shook his head, his birth-mother's cold, pale face burned into his memory. He'd once pulled her body from storage to see her, desperate to see another face like his own. "H'ko. She was… found. They couldn't save her but they managed to save me after she died."

"'They?'"

Gabriel hesitated, but there was no way around it. "Huunan'de."

Ul'juska frowned. "Now is not the time to be telling jokes, Zaiyende."

"I'm not joking. Huunan healers tried to save her. When she died, they cut me out." His story suddenly sounded ridiculous.

His sanja's grim expression had slowly hardened with each word. "I see… when did the arbiter find you?"

"About eight cycles ago."

"Eight cycles… so all this time, you were raised by… outsiders."

"Saa. Until the warrior that killed my parents came back. I tried to fight him on my own but he was stronger. H'darak had been hunting him too and killed him while he was distracted with me. After that, I joined him. I wanted to know who I was, where I came from."

Ul'juska rumbled as he stared into the fire, his expression distant and unreadable. "And what did you learn?"

"That I am strong. Strong enough now to protect the ones who saved me."

"'Protect?'"

"Saa. If another yautja from that clan ever comes to that world I'll be able to defeat them."

Ul'juska smirked.

"You don't approve?"

A dark light entered his sanja's eyes, the bonfire's flames dancing within them. "It doesn't matter if I approve. Your fate belongs to the arbiters. They won't let you go back until they're done with you. They've invested too much."

"I have to go back. I swore an oath—"

He growled. "Do you think they care about some words you traded with a lower species? You're an asset. A valuable pawn in the elders' game of genetics and power. You don't get to decide what you do or where you go. The fact that you are blooded makes little difference."

"What do you mean?" Had H'darak lied about him returning to Navarra? What else had he not told him?

"Ah, I see the honorable arbiter forgot to mention the blood debt. It's great honor, by the way. There will be many who envy you."

Gabriel grabbed Ul'juska's arm as he walked away. "What blood debt?" he growled.

His sanja ripped his arm free. "Go ask the arbiter, Zaiyende. I wasn't told the details."

His pack brothers suddenly surrounded him, drunk and howling with laughter. They tried to drag him back to their side of the room, but Gabriel pushed off their hands and shoved his way out, his golden eyes searching for his old mentor amongst the crowd. When he realized H'darak was gone, he left the main hall, certain he knew where he'd find him.

Just as he expected, Gabriel found him on the command deck. He slowed as he approached, recognizing the tribal leader he was speaking with as the one that had addressed him and his brothers before their hunt. Shaikal Ekanu, leader of the Swift Blade clan and high elder of the entire tribe. "Don't hesitate," he growled softly to himself. He squared his shoulders and strode forward.

The pair's conversation ceased as soon as they smelled him and Gabriel stopped several paces away, bowing as he waited to be acknowledged. He wouldn't get anywhere without showing the proper respect. If he behaved dishonorably, the shaikal could kill him and no one would mourn.

"Zaiyende," said the elder. "We were just talking about you."

"Shaikal, if I may take my leave?" asked H'darak, bowing low.

The elder nodded and the arbiter backed away, ignoring Gabriel's pointed glare as he left the room.

"It's disrespectful to ignore your elders, young one."

Gabriel quickly set his gaze on the floor.

"So, what would you ask of me?" Ekanu motioned for him to approached.

Gabriel took several careful steps forward, unsure of the right balance between submission and strength that he should show. He kept his eyes on the elder's breastplate and clasped his hands behind his back.

"Speak."

Gabriel swallowed, choosing his words carefully. "Honorable elder, I wish to know my purpose now that I am blooded."

The elder chittered, but Gabriel sensed little mirth behind it. "Do you?"

"Saa."

"Look at me, threita."

Gabriel raised his eyes, meeting the elder's blood-red irises. Age had sagged his jaws and carved deep lines into his brow. Long, pale tendrils, each wrapped in dozens of golden rings, hung from a barbed crown. His scent of authority was undeniable. "Listen well. You are the bridge between two of the most powerful tribes in our clan. Your purpose is to repair the ancient bonds and honor the blood debt your sire accrued. When he kidnapped the rajara he broke more laws and traditions than I care to recount."

"What must I do?"

"You will mate with next rajara in line to assume the Fire Spitters' matriarchy."

"M-Mate?" Gabriel stuttered, the shaikal's revelation like a heavy stone sinking into his stomach, rooting him to the spot.

A dark smile tugged the elder's fangs apart. "Nervous?"

Anger surged through him and Gabriel looked away, hoping Ekanu mistook it for embarrassment. "H'ko."

"You performed well beyond expectations during your chiva. Whatever concerns the clans had about your physical abilities have been assuaged. It is fortunate… considering your upbringing."

"My upbringing?" Gabriel clenched his fists still clasped behind his back, his claws digging into his palms. Control. Respect. Stay alive. The words felt hollow as hot blood pumped through his veins. It wasn't fair. He'd survived the trials. That was the deal! Survive, redeem his father's name and go home.

"Saa. Despite your superior lineage, you were raised by a weaker race and the physical condition Arrakai H'darak found you in was less than favorable. However, since the huunan'de were unable to suppress your natural instincts, the matriarchs believed you had potential." Ekanu growled, his crimson eyes glowing in the lowlight. "But make no mistake, Zaiyende. Had it been up to me, I would have had H'darak dispose of you long ago."

Gabriel's growl was quickly cut off and he fell to his knees, gasping as he clutched his stomach.

The shaikal glared down at him as he uncurled his fist. "Never look at me with those eyes again." He knelt, grabbing Gabriel by the roots of his tendrils and ripping his head back. "I will only say this once. If you don't fulfill the blood debt, I will make sure you spend the rest of your days _wishing_ you were dead."

The shaikal left him there, the elder's threat echoing in his ears. Gabriel swayed as he pulled himself up to his feet, alcohol and aggression buzzing through his veins. He made his way back to the ceremonial chamber, driven by the desire to bury his fist into someone's face and drink himself into oblivion.

_You're a valuable pawn in the elders' game of genetics and power. They won't let you go until they're done with you._ Ul'juska had tried to tell him. But Gabriel hadn't listened. He was blooded. He was free to go and do as he pleased.

Lies. His time with his pack brothers had made him think he was one of them, just another unblood with something to prove. But now he saw clearly. He'd never been one of them. He would always be the outsider, his only saving grace the genes he'd inherited from his mother.

Lorka was the first he stumbled across. He was laughing at something an older threita had said. _Sorry, brother. It's nothing personal._ He gulped down a large jug of burning liquid, smashed the vessel on the ground and then hit his pack brother square across the jaw as hard as he could. As expected, the only thing it did was piss him off. The giant roared and tackled him to the ground.

Gabriel couldn't remember what happened after that, the night lost in a fiery blur. But the shaikal's words were as clear as ever the next morning, his hearts aching in time with his throbbing skull.

* * *

**Only two more chapters left! Review before it's too late! **


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